After the Fall: Sol Invictus Mithras
by kasviel
Summary: This is a direct sequel to my previous story "Broken: After The Fall" so please read that first. Daniel's recovery from the events at Brennenburg continues, with Henry Bedloe faithfully by his side. But as the horror of adventure fades into the past, Daniel begins to yearn for a new conquest. Can Henry tame Daniel's ambitions?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

February 14, 1840

The British Museum was fairly quiet that afternoon. Outside its windows, snow-threatening clouds provided the backdrop for the bustle and flow of London life. Daniel looked out at the dreary day, looked down at his dreary work, and sighed. He had been happy to resume working last November, but by now the steady routine had lost its appeal. He hated research. He hated the smell of old paper and fresh ink as he meticulously cataloged new additions. More than anything, he hated to be stuck in a room pouring over artifacts that had been unearthed by other men.

A sudden commotion caused his coworkers to leave the Natural History archive. He followed after them, grateful for a relief from the mundane task of cataloging a butterfly collection that had been willed to the museum. A large group had gathered in the hall as crates and boxes were hauled into the museum. Daniel's heart sank as he recognized the group of explorers in the center of the crowd.

"Hello, Daniel!" the leader of the expedition greeted him warmly. "So, we're finally both back in the Queen's blessed country, eh?"

The man shook Daniel's hand energetically. He was a tall, svelte fellow, with a great brow and fine, firm, intelligent features. His skin was deeply tanned, and he had yet to cut his wavy blond hair. Powerful, tanned, and golden-maned, he looked more of a lion than a man. _Charles Ledford,_ Daniel thought. _I haven't seen him since I left for Africa. He was planning an expedition to the Near East, if I recall. I suppose he must have gone and had as much success as I had failure._

"Welcome back," Daniel said politely. "It went well, then?"

"Splendidly, Daniel, splendidly," Charles said. "We were able to recover an unprecedented amount of hieroglyphs that will no doubt change our understanding of the history of the region."

There was no bragging in his tone, only satisfaction. Nonetheless, Daniel bristled inwardly. He wanted to return to work, but he had no choice but to listen to Charles' description of strange cuneiform writings below outlandish bas reliefs hewed in stone more ancient than Chaldea. Daniel's jealousy grew as he listened, his mind painting a vivid picture of the expedition.

"It sounds like it was an exciting adventure," he said wistfully. "Was there no trouble at all then?"

"Well, we had to work like slaves in one area, because the natives would not go near it, but on the whole it went well," Charles said. "Very curious finds, too. Now how about you? How went it in Algeria?"

Daniel told him the story of Professor Herbert's doomed expedition as they followed the workers hauling crates. They came to the room where the artifacts were being unpacked. Charles ran his hand over some of the stone tablets as he listened to Daniel, sobered by the tragedy.

"You've had a hard time of it, haven't you?" Charles said sympathetically. "I dare say that you had great fortune to survive, however. It is a shame about Professor Herbert."

"Yes," Daniel agreed politely. In truth, he did not think it such a great loss.

"He used to speak—of you." Charles apparently could not bring himself to lie. He cleared his throat awkwardly and clapped Daniel on the shoulder. "You look well recovered, though. Perhaps you might wish to join my next expedition?"

"Are you planning another one so soon?"

"Oh, not for at least half a year, but I'm devilish eager to go back there," Charles said. "Some of the more occult-minded fellows on the team think that we may find Irem, the City of Pillars. Some of the artifacts are so strange that I am of a mind to agree!"

"My traveling days may be over," Daniel lamented. "I don't have much taste for it after … everything."

"Come now, you're far too young to be discouraged by a bout of fever," Charles said. "Think on it. I would be happy to have you on my team."

"You would?"

"Why, yes, of course," Charles said kindly. "From what I've seen, you're a hard worker, and you have a real passion for it. I, for one, do not mind your inquisitiveness."

 _Does that mean Herbert did?_ Daniel wondered, blushing in humiliation. _Did he complain about it to Charles?_

"Besides, out of the whole party, _you_ survived," Charles said. "You seem to be quite lucky. One can always use a bit of luck on the team."

 _If he only knew just what kind of luck I really have,_ Daniel thought wryly. He told Charles that he would consider his offer, and attempted to excuse himself to return to work. Charles would not have it. He put an arm around Daniel's shoulders and took him on a tour of the artifacts being unpacked. The air smelled of sand and stone, and something else.

"What is that odor?" Daniel asked. "It's quite potent. Musky."

"Smells reptilian, doesn't it?" Charles said. "The entire cave where we found these things smelled that way. You should have seen how the dogs barked wherever the crates passed. It's uncanny."

"What's the reason for it?"

"We don't know," Charles admitted. "All I can guess is that some large reptiles made their home in the cave, though we saw no sign of any, save for the bas reliefs."

"The bas reliefs?"

Charles found a particular crate and ordered it to be opened. Inside was a monumental slab of stone, upon which bas reliefs were carved. Daniel saw what Charles meant immediately, for the bas reliefs depicted a race of humanoid reptiles. They stood upright and wore tribal finery. The sight of the things made Daniel's stomach turn, and he had to fight to keep the disgust off his face.

"We believe that the ancient inhabitants of whatever city stood near the cave must have worshiped a species of reptile that we have yet to identify, or perhaps that has gone extinct," Charles explained. "There are no humans depicted in any of the imagery, only these human-reptile beings."

"That is uncanny," Daniel said. "There is something sinister about it all, too. Those things are unnerving."

"Aren't they just?" Charles said with relish. "Haha! But don't look so frightened, Daniel. It's only mythology."

Daniel smiled weakly, but could not agree. He knew from experience that the wildest myths were often the truest accounts of history. The bas reliefs depicted the reptilian race in too much lifelike detail. Daniel shuddered and turned away.

"You don't believe this race might have actually lived, Charles?"

"These reptiles?" Charles laughed in surprise. "Good God, man, you've become superstitious since I last saw you. No, it is surely only a deified animal the ancients took a fancy to. After all, if such a race had ever existed, we surely would have found their remains by now, and history would have taken note of them."

 _Unless they never died out, but only went elsewhere,_ Daniel thought. The idea was so hideous that he had to bow his head over the bas reliefs to hide his shut eyes from Charles.

"Of course," was all Daniel managed.

They discussed the artifacts a little while longer, then Daniel finally escaped the man. Despite his loathing of the reptilian art, he was greatly intrigued by the artifacts. He wished that he had joined Charles' expedition instead of Herbert's, that he had been there to unearth these strange relics. He envied Charles sorely. Returning to the dead butterflies, Daniel was more bored and unsatisfied than ever. He finished his work as best he could, and left for home early.

* * *

Daniel was still in a foul mood when he reached the apartment he shared with Henry. Henry was at work, so he took the opportunity to drink more than his lover allowed him to. The liquor was a comfort, but he was still in a brown study. He distracted himself by reading a biography of an explorer, but it only reminded him of Charles, furthering his envy.

Henry found Daniel in the study that evening, and kissed him 'hello'. He presented the man with a bouquet of roses.

"What? Flowers? For me? Why?"

"It's Valentine's Day, after all," Henry said. "What's wrong? Do you dislike flowers?"

"No, it's not the flowers," Daniel said. "I'm just in a bad mood."

Henry ruffled Daniel's hair and kissed him, hoping to soften him. Daniel's moods tended to cause trouble. Daniel gave the roses to the maid to put in water, and they went to sit in the parlor until dinner. The staff was on hand more often now, since Daniel had a penchant for having help nearby. He had settled into Henry's wealthy lifestyle imperiously well.

"I was in a bad mood earlier myself," Henry said as he lit a cigar. "Winslow Octavio Paternoster paid me a visit at my offices. He extended an invitation to attend the next group meeting personally."

"Will you go?"

"I don't think I will," Henry huffed. "I simply cannot abide what he did to you."

"It all worked out in the end," Daniel said. "You should go. It would be foolish to give up the _Sol Invictus Mithras._ "

Henry hated the reverence Daniel intoned when he said the name of the secret society. Despite their having kidnapped and starved him, he was greatly impressed by the group. Every time Henry brought them up, he defended them, and tried to convince Henry to stay in it.

"I can't agree with them, and I can't forgive Paternoster," Henry said. "I won't go. I don't want to hear another word about it."

"But—"

"Why were you so sullen today?" Henry asked, changing the subject. "Aren't you happy to be working at the museum again?"

"Well, yes, but … "

"But what?"

"I'm bored."

Henry raised his eyebrows.

"Bored?" he asked with a laugh of disbelief. "After spending the better part of last year being tortured mentally and physically, I would think you would welcome a little boredom."

"I appreciate being safe, don't get me wrong," Daniel said. "But Charles Ledford returned from the Near East today, and his expedition had uncovered all these fascinating relics of a strange ancient past."

Daniel launched into a long and detailed account of the Ledford Expedition's findings. Henry listened patiently, enjoying how boyishly enthusiastic Daniel was when it came to archaeology. His eyes lit up, his mouth curled into a smile, and he let his imagination run wild with speculation. He spoke of the expedition as if he had been there. Cute as all this was, however, Henry began to worry about the young man's restlessness. It was that curiosity and ambition that had gotten him into all the trouble in the first place.

"It was an amazing success, all in all," Daniel finished. "Charles Ledford even plans to return to the area later this year."

"And you are jealous?"

"Envious," Daniel said. "If I hadn't gone with that damned Professor Herbert, I could have gone with Charles. I would never have had all the trouble with the Orb, and I would have been a part of these amazing discoveries. Now, I don't know if I ever will travel again. The world frightens me, and the ancient world even more so. I'll probably have nightmares about those reptilian things, and all I saw were the bas reliefs."

"There is no shame in being afraid after all you've been through," Henry said. "Don't you think it's for the best that you can research those amazing discoveries from the safety of the museum?"

"Yes, I know it's for the best, but I still can't help being dissatisfied," Daniel said. "I didn't become an archaeologist to sit in a dusty old museum. I wanted to be the one making those famous discoveries. I wanted to be the one off on exotic adventures."

"You should be careful what you wish for, Daniel."

"And now Charles Ledford comes swanning into the museum like a hero with his stories and his artifacts," Daniel said heatedly. "Oh, he's a good man, I'm not angry with him for it, but it was intolerable! Crate after crate pouring in, and everyone on staff standing around admiring him. He even invited me to join his next expedition!"

"The nerve of the man," Henry said cynically.

"I told him I would think on it, but I know that I won't be able to go," Daniel said. "My nerves would be too unsteady. I would be afraid to go anywhere, lest I find another Orb or some other vile thing."

Daniel got to his feet and began pacing. Henry decided to let his outburst run its course, petty as it was. He smoked his cigar placidly, only half-listening to Daniel's self-pitying rant.

"How am I going to refuse Charles now?" Daniel asked. "What will he think of me when I turn down the chance to join his next expedition party? He already thinks that I have become 'superstitious'. He'll think I've become a coward, as well."

"Who gives a damn what this Ledford or anyone else thinks?" Henry said gruffly. "You're safe now, Daniel. That's all that should matter."

"It's not all that matters, though," Daniel said. "Did I survive everything just to sit in a museum cataloging and studying other men's discoveries? Besides, I know far more than all those historians with their bland explanations and limited imaginations."

 _For someone that's been so frequently beaten down by life, he certainly is arrogant,_ Henry thought. _That side of him is the one that most needs to be kept in check._

"I can't stand it," Daniel sighed, pacing again. "I can't stand being relegated to insignificance when I've seen and done more than those men will ever dream of. I didn't ask for all that happened to me, but it happened, and I at least have more knowledge for it. It's frustrating that I can't share that knowledge. If I could, I would be even more admired than Charles."

"You would also be hanged," Henry pointed out.

"I meant my knowledge, not my crimes," Daniel scowled. "I'm not stupid."

As he passed, Henry grabbed him by the arm. He pulled him down to sit on his lap. Daniel glared at him.

"Forget your pride for a moment and see reason," Henry said. "You've suffered enough for ten lifetimes, Daniel. You nearly died several times. Why do you want to put yourself through that again? For glory? What good is that if you're dead or mad or worse? Would you risk your life just to impress strangers?"

"No, that's why I'm not going anywhere," Daniel said. "I just hate that I'm in this state. I want to accomplish something. I want to be the man that I was before."

"That simply isn't possible, dear Daniel," Henry said gently. He kissed the young man's cheek. "Not after all that's happened to you. Not after all you've done."

"I know," Daniel said in resignation. He brightened, putting his arms around Henry's neck. "That's why you should not give up on the _Sol Invictus Mithras_."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I was thinking that you might reconcile with Paternoster and keep your place in the group," Daniel said. "And that you might bring me into it?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Why?" Daniel asked. "I'm of no interest to them anymore since my link to Alexander is broken. Do you still distrust them?"

"I don't trust them, but that isn't the only reason," Henry said. He took Daniel's face by the chin. "I don't trust _you_ , Daniel."

"What? Me?"

"Yes, you," Henry said sternly. "The _Sol Invictus Mithras_ holds exactly the kind of power that could very well turn you back into the man you became at Brennenburg."

"Perhaps, but you would be there to reign me in."

"Until you try to murder me, as well?"

"I would never murder you!" Daniel exclaimed. "I love you, Henry."

"You tried to murder me once already," Henry reminded him. "No, Daniel, I'm sorry but I cannot trust you to join the group. You have too much lust for power, and you easily get carried away with it. It would be the worst kind of company for someone like you to keep."

"I could always appeal to Paternoster myself," Daniel said defiantly. "I already know about the group. I'm sure he could find some use for me in it."

"I won't allow it," Henry said. "I promised that I would protect you even from yourself, and I meant it. Now forget about the group once and for all. I won't be a part of it, and I won't let you be, either."

"I should think that would be up to Paternoster, not you."

"You're mine, so it is up to _me_ ," Henry said sternly. "Let it go."

"I won't," Daniel said. "It's a terrible waste, Henry. The _Sol Invictus Mithras_ hold incredible knowledge and power, you said so yourself. You could continue your research of the mind with their help, and perhaps even I could find something important to do."

"Find something important to do at the museum, Daniel," Henry said impatiently. "I told you, I won't let you join that damned group! Let that be the end of it."

"At least give me the chance to prove I can be trusted," Daniel argued. "You're judging me without even—"

"I said, no!" Henry snapped. "I don't want to hear another word about it."

"You can't simply decide what I can and cannot do for me!"

"Damn it, Daniel, yes, I can, and I will. If you won't accept that, then I'll beat it into you."

Henry stood up and dragged Daniel over to the sofa. He sat and pulled the struggling man over his knees. He pinned Daniel's arms to the small of his back and lifted up the back of his jacket. Daniel blushed furiously as he felt Henry's hand smack his lifted buttocks. Even through his trousers, the man's large hand inflicted quite the sting.

"This is ridiculous," Daniel muttered. "I'm not a child."

"Then stop acting like one."

"All I'm doing is trying to make my own decisions, because I _am_ a man, in case you've forgotten."

"You won't feel very much like a man when I'm through with you."

Henry lifted Daniel a little to unbutton his trousers. Ignoring the youth's protests, he pulled his pants down below his buttocks. Without the fabric's protection, the spanking began to hurt in earnest. Daniel squirmed and kicked, but there was no escaping Henry's hard hand. Henry kept his promise: Daniel felt more a boy than a man with his naked bottom burning fiercely.

"Fine, I won't mention the group anymore," Daniel gave in. "That's enough, Henry!"

"I'll say when you've had enough."

"Now you're only indulging yourself."

Henry smirked, not bothering to deny the remark. He was indeed enjoying the punishment. Daniel had a fine round bottom, plumper now that he had regained his normal weight; it was a pleasure to see his flesh tremble beneath the swats, red handprints blending into two scarlet splotches. The red was very bright on the youth's fair skin, but not yet angry enough for Henry's taste. Daniel could be pigheaded when he was set on something, it would take a good spanking to deter him.

Henry rang for the maid. Daniel tried to escape, but he held him firmly in place. He did not even pull his trousers back up. As Henry ordered the maid to fetch the largest hairbrush on his dresser, Daniel's face turned a deeper shade of red at the humiliation.

"I wish you wouldn't spank me in front of the help," he complained. "It's bad enough that they hear all this."

"Don't complain, or I'll whip you with the entire staff present."

Daniel wisely shut his mouth. The hairbrush was brought, and its flat solid wood back soon whacked Daniel's bottom. He yelped at the sharp burst of pain, kicking wildly.

"Henry, please, I'll forget about the group, I really will, only stop, please!" he begged. "Ow! That hurts, Henry!"

"You always manage to sound so surprised about that," Henry said. " _Of course_ it hurts, Daniel. There would be little point in a spanking that didn't hurt."

Daniel flinched and bowed his head. There was nothing to do but take it. He stared at the floor sullenly, tears pricking his eyes. He was ashamed of how affected he was by the punishment at his age. Henry had a way of reducing him to childhood that went beyond his ability to spank harshly. _He takes charge so easily that it feels natural to submit to him,_ Daniel thought. _As outrageous as it is, it feels right. I can't believe how effortlessly he can take total control of another man. I have to admit that it is impressive._

Henry gave each cheek its due, until the youth's bottom was uniformly scarlet. At last, he released him. Daniel climbed off his lap slowly, sinking to his knees on the floor. He rubbed his scorched backside desperately, giving Henry an injured look. Henry patted his head.

"No, leave your trousers down," he ordered. "Go stand there in that corner. I'd like to have some peace from you until dinner."

"What? No!"

Henry's icy blue eyes glinted dangerously. He stood, pulled Daniel to his feet, and dragged him to the corner. Dismayed, Daniel found himself turned to face the wall, his backside still exposed. He tried to turn back around, but received a hefty swat of the hairbrush.

"Stay there," Henry demanded. "I'm going to have another cigar before we eat."

"But—"

 _SMACK!_

Daniel shut his mouth and remained as he was. This final humiliation caused the tears to fall, though he did his best to wipe them away. By the time Henry took mercy on him and brought him over to sit on his lap, Daniel was sufficiently softened.

"I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. "I do think you should stay with the group for your own sake, but you're right about me, I can't be trusted with power. It's better if I stay away from those people."

"Too right."

Henry kissed Daniel comfortingly, caressing his tender bottom. The last of the youth's tears fell, and he sniffled a little. Before long, they were summoned to dinner. Daniel climbed off of Henry's lap and pulled his trousers back up.

"Don't forget to bring a cushion to sit on," Henry said with a smirk.

"I won't, Henry."

* * *

After dinner, the two men retired early. Daniel undressed for bed, glimpsing at his backside in the mirror before putting on his bed gown. Henry came up to him and gave his buttocks an affectionate squeeze.

"It really does sting," Daniel said ruefully. "I had forgotten how much a spanking could hurt."

"Keep it in mind and behave yourself, Daniel."

"I will."

He said it with the insincerity and weariness of a child, but Henry let it go. He turned Daniel to face him and bent down to kiss him. Daniel put his arms around his neck as he kissed him back, his slim body warm and pliant. _He's always best after a punishment,_ Henry thought. He deepened the kiss, a hand trailing up and down the man's back and bottom. _Needy and humbled, so willing to please …_

Daniel pulled off Henry's shirt and ran his hands over the man's broad chest. As always, Henry radiated warmth and strength. Daniel kissed his neck, his chest, the hard ripples of muscle on his stomach. There was no need to envy his strength: so long as Henry loved him, all his strength belonged to Daniel. The youth took his time enjoying the other man's body, touching and tasting and teasing. It gave him pleasure to make him hard, a small taste of power—until he was grabbed by the shoulder and bent over the edge of the bed. Then he was blissfully helpless, made to cry out as the other entered him. He heard a soft laugh from Henry as he shouted in pain and pleasure. Henry gave his bottom a few slaps as he thrust deeper into the young man, which only inflamed Daniel's lust more. He bit his thumb to keep from screaming as he was pushed farther and farther. He came before Henry, which was typical after a spanking.

"You really love it, don't you?" Henry asked when they were lying exhausted in bed together.

"What?"

"The spanking."

"Of course not," Daniel said, blushing again. He turned his face into the pillow, muffling his voice. "Don't be silly. It hurts."

"And yet you love it."

Henry kissed his shoulder and the top of his head. Daniel lifted his face from the pillow, still flushed. Henry kissed him lovingly on the lips, his full bottom lip soft against Daniel's thin mouth. The chill of the room set in now that the heated rush of sex had ebbed. They climbed under the covers to sleep.

"Henry?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"I only hope you remember the lesson." Henry patted Daniel's bottom. "Be a good boy for me, will you?"

"I will."

 _For a little while,_ Henry thought. He put an arm around Daniel, who was already falling asleep. _It won't be long until he earns himself another punishment. I'd never tell him, but I like him that way. It wouldn't be fun if he weren't so bratty. No, I don't mind his little mischief, so long as he keeps from doing anything dangerous._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

February 15, 1840

Daniel always felt strange going to work after a spanking, as if he were only playing at being an adult. He fell into a moody sulk this snowy day. Charles Ledford was still at the museum talking on and on about his journey. _That should be me,_ Daniel thought. _I should be the man uncovering the secrets of the ancient world, not a boy that goes home to be spanked. It isn't fair._

Daniel went out for a walk during the lunch hour. Snow dusted the urbane London crowds, turning to sludge in the street. Children laughed in a schoolyard somewhere. Carriages and cabs rattled by to the clopping trot of horseshoes. Daniel felt very alone suddenly, and wished Henry were by his side.

The young man was just trying to decide what restaurant to dine in when he caught sight of a familiar figure. The tall, elegant man was impossible to miss, even with a hat atop his fine silver hair and a coat billowing around his thin frame. It was Winslow Octavio Paternoster. Daniel immediately changed his direction and went after him. The bruises on his bottom throbbed as if in warning, but he ignored them; he was still too curious about the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ to leave Paternoster alone.

"Mr. Paternoster?"

Paternoster stopped walking and faced Daniel. He was about Henry's height but half his weight. Cool gray eyes the color of the snowy sky looked down at Daniel from atop a thin aquiline nose. His skin held a faint olive tan even in the winter, giving him a Mediterranean appearance. Daniel wondered what land he had come from so long ago.

"Daniel, is it?" Paternoster asked, polite enough. "The survivor of Brennenburg. How may I help you?"

"I'm sorry to accost you this way, but I've been wanting to talk to you," Daniel said. "I saw you walking and thought we might have a word?"

"Certainly. Concerning what?"

"The _Sol Invictus—_ "

Paternoster pressed a gloved hand gently over Daniel's lips.

"Hush, boy, hush," he ordered. "Never speak that name in public."

"I'm sorry," Daniel said once his mouth was freed. "Henry didn't tell me that."

"I was just going for lunch at my club," Paternoster said. "Come with me, and we will talk."

Paternoster swept on breezily. Daniel jogged after him. For an ancient man, Paternoster kept a remarkably brisk pace. They came to a distinguishing social club whose sign held a depiction of the sun, a bull, and the words 'Solus Gentleman's Club'. Daniel brushed museum dust off his clothing, grateful that Henry had encouraged him to buy finer outfits for himself.

Inside, they passed several luxurious rooms. There was the social room, a sort of library and lounge in one, and a dining hall, along with several recreation areas. The wealth of this place made Henry's luxurious domicile seem shabby. Paternoster had a proprietary air and was regarded with great respect by all they came across; Daniel guessed he owned the club, or at least had a stake in it. He wondered how many of the club's patrons were members of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_. It would explain why there was such a variety of diners, from the wealthy to the shady, even a few dilettantes.

At last, they came to Paternoster's private room. It was a grand space that had its own library and dining table. Their coats and hates were taken by an aged servant. They sat at the dining table, and were served an excellent meal. Paternoster did not speak until they were well into the main course.

"Now, what did you wish to speak with me about, boy?" he inquired. "It is safe to speak here. I own this club, and every member is a part of the group."

 _That explains that, then,_ Daniel thought.

"Well, first I need to confirm something, I suppose," Daniel said. "I am not in any danger from your group, am I? Did you get everything that you needed from me?"

"Indeed," Paternoster said. "Your link to Alexander von Brennenburg proved invaluable. I do apologize for the trouble we put you through, but it was necessary. If Alexander had remained linked to you, he would have taken your body over permanently in time. That is not to say I did any of it for your sake, but your life was already on the line. Fortunately, it all came out right in the end. I hope you don't harbor any ill will towards us?"

"I don't."

"Henry still does."

Paternoster's tone implied he knew the answer. Daniel shifted uncomfortably on his bruised bottom, childishly guilty. He stared down at his meal until he felt suitably adult enough to resume the conversation.

"Yes," Daniel admitted. "In fact, he would be furious if he knew that I was here talking to you."

"And yet here you are. Why?"

"Because I'm curious about the group," Daniel said. "Henry told me your history, and he told me that you hold immense power and forbidden knowledge. He said that the group has existed since the Roman Empire, and that you are older than any currently living man in this country. Is that true?"

"Alexander was right, you are a precocious lad," Paternoster commented.

"You've spoken to Alexander?" Daniel asked, startled. "About me?"

"He speaks of you sometimes," Paternoster said. "I think he grew rather fond of you."

Daniel felt a shiver run through him. Although in the end Alexander had spared his life and claimed to have forgiven him, the man's name had not lost its menace. Daniel recalled how Alexander had telepathically forced him to live through the tortures of Brennenburg's victims. He paled and was unable to respond. Paternoster did not wait for him.

"As to your questions, the answer is yes, that is all true," Paternoster said. "Due to your involvement with us, I suppose Henry broke no rules by explaining the group's nature to you. You may as well know the rest of it. How much did Henry tell you?"

"He explained that the religious aspect of the group during the Roman Empire's reign was a facade to hide its true nature from the ignorant," Daniel said. "He told me that Mithras was actually a sorcerer from another world that was brought into this one through the power of one of the Orbs. He founded the group as a means of gathering like-minded intellectuals, under the ideology that the pursuit of knowledge should be the ultimate goal of any sentient beings. He said that you are an ancient sorcerer that brought the group to England when the kingdom was young. The group is a nexus through which all those daring enough to challenge the mundane for the sake of pure knowledge have passed, whether they are aware of it or not. He said that there is not a fringe experiment that the group does not know about."

"All of which is true," Paternoster said. "In addition, we have an extensive collection of powerful artifacts, including several of the Orbs."

"Ahh, right, of course, that explains how you had the Orb that you used to draw Alexander into me," Daniel said. "Speaking of the Orbs, I meant to ask you something else."

"Go on."

"You must have known that I retrieved an Orb from Algeria last June," Daniel said. When Paternoster nodded, he went on, "Why did you leave me at the mercy of the Shadow? Couldn't you have helped me before I went in search of Alexander?"

"We could have," Paternoster said coolly. "However, the more people that wield the Orbs, the more data we collect concerning them. If a layperson stumbles upon one of them, I find it most illuminating to leave them to their own devices. The involvement of the baron of Brennenburg made the situation doubly interesting. My only miscalculation was waiting too long to send our agents to Brennenburg Castle; all was over and the Orb was destroyed by the time they arrived. Of course, the destruction did lead to the weakening and hence capture of Alexander, so I suppose it was a worthy trade."

 _He speaks so calmly about the hell that I went through,_ Daniel thought. _He makes it sound like the whole thing was of little consequence._

"In the grand scheme of things, your personal suffering is small and insignificant," Paternoster said as if reading his mind. "I see your chest swelling with indignant pride, but that is the truth of it. For you are only a boy that happened to get caught up in events far beyond your ken, a victim of circumstance, nothing more."

"I'm not a boy, I'm a man."

"To me you are, as are most of the human race," Paternoster said, waving a hand. "I have lived centuries, most seem as children to me. Do not take it personally."

Nonetheless Daniel pouted a bit, his bottom aching all the more. Paternoster seemed to notice his discomfort, because he recommended they sit somewhere more comfortable. Comfort was not exactly possible, but it was a relief to sit on a cushioned armchair.

"Were you beaten very harshly?"

Daniel looked over at the man in alarm. His face turned bright red and his stomach fluttered with butterflies. Paternoster chuckled, waving his hand again.

"Those in the group have no secrets, for we have no shame in ourselves," Paternoster explained. "Henry has a sensual appreciation of violence, to the detriment of his lovers. Though the group pursues knowledge over all things, exploration of all the earthly pleasures is important to us. One must know and accept oneself before pursing knowledge of others. I taught Henry this, when he was just starting to study psychiatry."

"Henry was quite angry when I suggested he return to your group," Daniel said. "He was even angrier when I asked him to let me join it."

"You wish to join the _Sol Invictus Mithras_?"

"Perhaps, but I can't even consider it," Daniel sighed. "Henry would never let me, anyway. But I wish that I could try. After all that I've been through, I don't even know if I can tolerate the mundane world anymore. I always did love the idea of exploring unknown vistas and uncovering knowledge lost to the mists of time. I thought that I could do all of that through archaeology—and I did. As Henry said, I should be careful what I wish for. But how can I give it all up? How can I turn my back on my dreams when I know so much more than I used to? I _know_ what's out there, and even if it is dangerous, I … I want … "

"You want an ambition."

"Yes, precisely!" Daniel exclaimed. "That's precisely it. I feel aimless in my work, and I take no pride in it. Henry thinks I'm terribly spoiled for wanting more than safety and love, but he doesn't understand. How could he? He has his work and his pride. What do I have?"

"You have much, child," Paternoster said. "You have your life, your safety, and your love. That is normally enough for human beings."

"It should be enough for me," Daniel admitted. "Maybe I am spoiled, but I want more. I want to know more. I want to see more. So, I thought that the group might satisfy that. I thought I could be of some use to you, perhaps."

Paternoster closed his eyes in thought. Daniel shifted and squirmed while he waited for him to speak. A clock ticked the noon hour away. _I have to be back at work soon,_ Daniel thought. _But I had to speak to him. I probably wouldn't get another chance. I only hope Henry doesn't find out, or he'll take it out of my hide._

Paternoster's gray eyes opened again. He crossed the room and stooped over the chair Daniel sat in. His long arms gripped either arm of the chair, barring Daniel in it. Daniel looked up at him anxiously. For an old man, his skin was unnaturally smooth, wrinkled deeply only at the corners of his eyes and mouth. Daniel could picture him in Roman garb, scheming away in immemorial times.

Paternoster put his hands on Daniel's face, the tips of his fingers pressing Daniel's temples lightly. His skin was as cool as Henry's was warm, causing Daniel to shiver. His gray eyes pierced Daniel's gaze and held it captive. Daniel felt that all his emotions, thoughts, and memories were exposed to that gaze now. He felt very small and insignificant.

Finally, Paternoster released him. He stood up and returned to his chair. Daniel's mind felt numb and dazed. He rubbed his temples and his eyes.

"You are a fairly confused child, but there is bravery in you, Daniel," Paternoster told him. "You took to being Alexander's apprentice surprisingly well. Those skills might be useful to the group."

"Oh no, I couldn't hurt anyone again."

"I believe that you very well could, but I was not referring to the torture," Paternoster said. "You had an open enough mind to perform sorcery. Most people are driven mad when their concepts of the world are decimated, but your madness only stemmed from guilt. That is admirable."

"Thank you."

"However, you are reckless, and you do tend to get intoxicated with power," Paternoster went on. "I am not like Henry, I do not enjoy wasting time taking the unruly in hand. For that reason, I am afraid that I could not let you join the group on your own."

"Oh."

"Don't look so disappointed, boy," Paternoster said. "I said that I cannot let you in on your own. If Henry were to return to us, I would let you serve by his side. He can deal with disciplining you."

"But he refuses to stay in the group," Daniel lamented. "He says that he can't forgive what you did to me, and that he doesn't agree with your ideology anymore."

"I will speak with him at length," Paternoster said. "There is much that the group still has to offer him. He is currently preparing a study, and he is aware that he will need our help procuring certain supplies. He will return to us. He is far too young to let his career stall now."

"I hope so," Daniel said. "Mr. Paternoster, may I ask for a favor?"

"Certainly."

"I'd prefer it if you didn't tell Henry about this conversation," Daniel said. "He, ah, won't be very happy with me if he finds out."

"I will keep it between the two of us, lad," Paternoster said with a knowing smile.

"Thank you."

* * *

Daniel was pleased with himself upon leaving the Solus Club. He even managed to smile when Charles Ledford accosted him inside the museum. He wanted to show Daniel more of his discoveries, so Daniel accompanied him to the wing where they were being studied. Daniel let the man ramble on about the artifacts for a while. At one point, he casually mentioned having lunch at the Solus Club.

"Oh," Charles said, "are you a member?"

"No. Are _you_?" Daniel asked. The thought of Charles being a member of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ made his heart sink.

"Oh, no, but I am very well acquainted with the owner," Charles explained. "Winslow Octavio Paternoster provided funding for my expedition."

"He did?"

"Yes, he patronizes many expeditions for the museum and select universities," Charles said. "Mr. Paternoster is something of a renaissance man. He funds a great many academic projects across all fields. He has no children, so I suppose he is able to freely spend his money that way. He is very generous and kind, a true gentleman."

"I've met him on two occasions," Daniel said. "He is certainly a gentleman, though I'm not sure how kind he is."

"He is a kindhearted man, believe me."

 _Kindhearted enough to kidnap and starve me,_ Daniel thought. _Not to mention using me as bait to lure Alexander and then trapping him in a Memory Capsule._

"How do you know him, then?"

"Well, he helped fund a few projects of my roommate, Henry Bedloe," Daniel said. "He's a psychiatrist. I supposed Mr. Paternoster really does patronize many different fields."

"Yes, yes, he is a very supportive and kind man," Charles said. "Never you mind the rumors about him, Daniel. He is a true gentleman."

"Rumors? What rumors?"

"Oh, you haven't heard them?" Charles said. "Well, I hate to speak of such things, but I suppose I should warn you. Some people say ridiculous things about Mr. Paternoster, such as his being a part of a secret society or cult, nonsense like that."

"Is that so?" Daniel said mildly, smug in his knowledge of the truth.

"Rubbish, all of it," Charles said certainly. "Don't you believe a word of it. Mr. Paternoster is the kindest man that I've ever met, and a God-fearing good soul. He wants nothing more than to better mankind through academia and the arts."

"I wasn't aware that he patronized the arts as well."

"Yes, he certainly does," Charles said. "His taste is somewhat eccentric, sometimes indecent, and that is probably where the rumors started. I may not agree with some of the artists he prizes, but I admire a man that knows what he likes and supports it."

"Even if it's indecent?"

"Certainly," Charles said. "I'm not a man that believes a touch of the subversive will doom society. If I were, I probably would have destroyed all these uncouth artifacts myself!"

Charles laughed. Daniel wondered what Paternoster's purpose in funding his expedition was. Perhaps he really had been hoping the expedition would find the lost city of Irem.

"I did not know that you were living with Henry Bedloe," Charles said thoughtfully. He brushed off a small stone tablet and scrutinized its cuneiform characters. "He has a host of rumors dogging him as well, but he is known to be a genius when it comes to the study of the mind."

"We knew each other in childhood, and he has been helping me recover from the trauma of Professor Herbert's expedition," Daniel said. "He is a very good friend."

Charles looked at Daniel with an unreadable expression.

"I hope he is," he finally said, putting a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "You do let me know if you ever have any trouble with him, though."

"Why would you say that?"

"Oh, no reason. I don't listen to rumors, as I said."

"What rumors?"

"Never you mind."

Daniel had an idea of the nature of the rumors about Henry. Discreet as he tried to be, it was only natural that he could not hide everything at all times. _I hope Charles doesn't think of me as a sodomite now,_ he thought. _I am, of course, but I don't want the world knowing it._

"Here, why don't you stay and help with the study of these pieces?" Charles offered. "I could use another set of hands."

"I couldn't."

"Nonsense, of course you could!" Charles said affably. "Perhaps it will persuade you to agree to joining my next expedition. Come, come. See here? These bas reliefs seem to tell a singular story when displayed in the correct order, and we believe … "

It was no good trying to deny the venerable explorer. He led Daniel through the room and instructed him to clean this or take a sketch of that. Daniel wearily obeyed him. He was trapped.

* * *

By the time he returned home, Daniel was exhausted. He dozed in the parlor until he heard Henry arrive home. Henry barged into the parlor, taking no heed of him, and immediately fetched a drink. His mood was so black that Daniel suspected he knew about his meeting with Paternoster. He shrank into his chair, dreading another beating. Henry turned around and finally noticed him. To Daniel's relief, he smiled at him, and came over to give him a kiss and ruffle his hair.

"Good evening, Daniel," Henry greeted him. He sat down on the sofa and patted his lap. "Why don't you come sit with me? I could use the company just now."

Daniel moved over to the sofa and sat on the man's lap. Henry exhaled slowly, his mood calming some. He set down his drink halfway through and lit a cigar. Daniel settled against him, breathing in the leather and tobacco scent of the man's cigars.

"Are you all right, Henry?" he ventured. "You came in like a storm."

"I've had a storm of a day," Henry said. "That bastard Paternoster means to force my hand."

Daniel felt a surge of hope. To Henry, he only dared a small, "Oh?"

"I've had a theory that I've been planning to test soon," Henry said. "This is one of the more outré experiments, one that I will need expendable subjects for."

"Expendable?"

"Vagrants, prisoners, such types of undesirables."

Daniel was reminded distinctly of the Brennenburg dungeon, and did not need to inquire further. Henry rarely spoke of his work, but Daniel was beginning to realize that it was not always noble. He tried not to admit to himself that this somewhat impressed him, but it did. _It's something we have in common,_ Daniel thought. _At least he has a cause, he's doing it for science. And I'm sure his subjects truly are bad people._

"Normally the group supplies suitable subjects, but Paternoster is withholding support until he knows that I will resume my place in it," Henry scowled. "Not only that, but he's withholding the funding for the project that he promised. I knew there would be a price to pay for leaving them, but to interfere with my work! The bastard!"

"Henry, you really should not sacrifice your work for my sake," Daniel said carefully. "I'm not worth it. Besides, I can forgive the group, even after what they did. I know how far one can go for the sake of curiosity, after all."

"So do I, and that's why I'm loathe to rejoin the group," Henry said. "Should I endanger you just for the sake of my curiosity to know the human mind? If something happened, I should never forgive myself."

"But the group no longer needs me, I wouldn't be in any danger," Daniel stressed. "And you made it clear that you won't allow me to join."

"I certainly will not," Henry answered the question in the youth's tone. He took a long drag on the cigar, breathing smoke. "I may have to keep my place in the group, at least until this theory is tested, but it will have nothing to do with you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Henry."

"Then why do you look so happy?"

"I-I'm just glad. For you, I mean," Daniel stammered. "I know how important your work is. At least one of us has a purpose."

"Don't start with that again."

"I'm not."

Henry gave him a worried frown. _He's up to something,_ he knew. _His eyes shifted just slightly away from mine, and he looked elated when I said I would stay with the group. I should beat it out of him, I really should, but I just don't have the strength. I could wear my arm out on this brat._

"What did you do today?" Henry changed the subject. "Still moping about the museum?"

"I do not _mope_ ," Daniel said. "I spoke to Charles Ledford and I was very polite. I even helped him with his artifacts. Speaking of which, did you know that Mr. Paternoster funded his expedition?"

"No, I did not, but I'm not surprised," Henry said. "The man has fingers in every bizarre pie in the country."

"Do you think that he was searching for something through the Ledford Expedition?"

"Most likely, and he probably sent members of the group on it," Henry said. "He does that, you know. He will send spies into mainstream projects that peak his interest, and they will carry out his agenda unbeknownst to their colleagues."

"Ah, that explains why Charles doesn't know the way Mr. Paternoster really is," Daniel said. "He said that Mr. Paternoster is kind and god-fearing, save for his indecent taste in art."

Henry laughed his rough, deep laugh.

"God-fearing!" he echoed in disbelief. "I suppose never missing a Sunday service has worked well for Paternoster. He's a careful one, and clever. I've heard him quote the Bible to win arguments with priests and sway the faithful to his point of view. He gives Christmas trees to the poor, and is godfather to numerous children. Yes, he is very clever, is Paternoster."

"Still, there are rumors," Daniel said. "There are rumors about you, too."

"Damn the rumors," Henry said mildly. "There are always rumors. That Charles Ledford wasn't spreading them about me, was he?"

"No, I think he was only concerned for me when I said we were roommates."

"Well, he can sodomize himself with his concern," Henry scoffed. "Don't encourage him, Daniel. You tend to invite sympathy, and that is very dangerous if a friend begins to pry into your personal life."

"Charles is no friend of mine."

"He seems to think he is," Henry said. "Keep your distance, Daniel. Buggery _is_ a crime, after all. I have enough to deal with without being arrested for such a petty thing. Damn the church and the law and all of it, anyway."

"You've never had a problem with it?" Daniel asked. "I would assume being what we are would invite blackmail."

"Oh, a man tried to blackmail me once," Henry said darkly. "He can be found in the cemetery—not very far from your father, as a matter of fact."

To Henry's surprise, Daniel laughed and then kissed him passionately. _He appreciates power, even when it's cruel,_ Henry observed. _I suppose he was taught that violence is strength, by that very father of his—and myself. At least I finally have a lover that has an appetite for sadism. So many boys drove me mad with talk of morality and all that nonsense. Daniel is too worldly to bother with those pretenses anymore._

Henry lay Daniel back on the sofa and ran his fingers over the young man's lips. Daniel languidly enjoyed the affection, compliant beneath the larger man. Henry unbuttoned and stripped open the layers of his clothing at length. His mouth wrapped around the youth's pale skin as if he meant to devour it. A hand reached into his breeches and he fondled him until he was yelling into a pillow. _He's a loud one,_ Henry thought as he watched his lover thrash about. _How very reactive he is to it all. I thought it might have only been that first time, but he still gets fucked like a virgin. God, I enjoy him!_

"It's my turn now," Henry said once he had finished with Daniel.

Daniel lay panting on the sofa. He looked at Henry with one eye. Henry opened his trousers and pulled Daniel nearer. On hand and knee, Daniel found his face pushed downward towards his partner's erection.

"Must I?"

"Yes, Daniel."

Blushing fiercely, Daniel took him into his mouth. He was still awkward about this practice, but he at least he had stopped choking. Henry held him by the hair to keep him in place, but there was no need; the youth was obedient today. _He must be up to something,_ Henry thought. He would have pursued the matter, but pleasure swept all other thoughts from his mind soon enough.

Daniel lifted his face from the man's crotch finally, licking the corner of his mouth. His face was scarlet from the degradation of it. Henry laughed at his expression and kissed his moist pouting lips. He had a feeling the man was only playing at outrage, because he was soon as content in Henry's arms as ever.

There was just enough time to wash for dinner. They ate voraciously, and talked of mundane things. Henry would not have guessed that Daniel was already dreaming of the day when he was accepted into the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ , and the adventures such a position might lead to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

February 18, 1840

Daniel was disappointed by the following days. Henry did not mention the group again, and it was difficult to pry any information out of him. As far as Daniel could tell, he had reconciled with Paternoster, and he was going to begin his next round of experiments soon. Daniel requested to see him at work, but Henry refused. He still did not trust Daniel's tendency towards madness, and thought it best that the young man stay as far away from dark practices as possible. Daniel called out his hypocrisy and argued until a threat forced him to give it all up. He had nothing to do but sulk after that, and Henry was too busy with his work to pay him much mind. Feeling neglected, Daniel busied himself with the only interesting thing in his life: Ledford's artifacts.

This afternoon, Daniel sat alone with several dusty pieces, brushing them off with infinite care. The cuneiform writing seemed familiar to him for some reason, as if it were conveying a message he could almost read. The smell of the desert sand reminded him of his African expedition, the trauma of which had faded enough to leave only nostalgia. The reptilian odor had faded some, though when he caught a whiff of it, Daniel sneezed. Today he did not mind, as he was vexed by Henry's threats and control; the artifacts were a welcome distraction.

Charles Ledford appeared. Daniel realized that he had not seen the man all day, which was a rare occurrence. Charles had been in the museum every day since returning with his prizes, more enraptured by them than anyone. Had he fallen ill? His eyes were a bit glazed and he was pale. _Perhaps his tan has finally faded from lack of sun,_ Daniel thought. _Everything fades to gray in this civilized old city._

"Hello, Daniel," Charles greeted him. "Hard at work, I see."

"I find these characters most interesting," Daniel had to admit. "Have the linguists come to any conclusions?"

"They are stumped, my good man," Charles said. "The patterns correspond to no ancient tongue they have ever seen or even suspected. A mathematician swears there is a numerical pattern to their formations, but he has had no luck reconciling this with language. We may never know what was meant to be recorded here. I've stared at them so long my brain has started to pound, but I am no linguist."

"Something about it seems almost familiar," Daniel said. "Not to sound superstitious, of course."

"I think I've come down with some superstition myself," Charles chuckled ruefully. "I see the damn things in my dreams sometimes."

"Do you?"

"It's always the same image: those reptile deities carving these cuneiform characters into stone," Charles said. "I see them out there in the desert in some dim age, scurrying to the cave from a city in the far distance. I see … another Africa, a half-aquatic and green Africa of another time. It is all so very clear to me: a city filled with those beast-men diving in and out of the waves, like the capitol of Hell. It is the damnedest thing."

Charles laughed, but it sounded artificial. Daniel felt his skin ripple into gooseflesh inside his clothes. He nearly dropped the stone tablet he was holding, and set it aside carefully. He felt that his hands were soiled and hastily wiped them off on a handkerchief.

"And now I know how the savage man dreams," Charles said with a perplexed laugh. "It must have been quite a queer civilization to dream up and deify such monstrous beings. Don't you think?"

"Certainly."

It seemed to Daniel that the reptilian odor had risen as Charles spoke of his dreams. He sneezed several times in succession. Charles bid him take a break from the stuffy air, and Daniel took some minutes to himself in the hallway. The museum was quiet for once. Daniel breathed in the fresh air, admired the solemn elegance of the building. Perhaps he _was_ being too demanding about his career. It was not bad to be working here, and he no longer had to worry about uncovering hideous secrets in the remote corners of the world. Perhaps Henry was right and he should simply be grateful for all he had.

When he returned to the room he saw Charles standing before a fresco depicting the reptile things. He was staring fixedly at them, his mouth moving soundlessly. _Did I ever look that haunted?_ Daniel wondered. _I must have, when I returned with the Orb. I wonder what the cause of Charles' distress is? Is there something in the writing? The imagery? I wish that I could ask Mr. Paternoster about it._

 _Then again, why can't I?_

Daniel excused himself from work early. Charles was too distracted to do more than bid him good evening. Daniel headed into the city on foot, wandering around a little while before finding the Solus Club. To his surprise, he was allowed in to see Paternoster before long. The man was in the social hall, sitting in a chair by the fireplace. The young man Daniel had seen at the manor before, Beechworth, was in the chair opposite him. Daniel was invited to join them and sat. He accepted a drink to ease his anxiety.

"Good evening, Daniel," Paternoster greeted him. "I must say that I am surprised to see you enjoying the comforts of my club yet again."

"I'm not here on my own behalf," Daniel lied. "I have something to ask concerning a friend. However, first I'd like to ask, if I may: Henry has decided to stay with the group, yes?"

"He hasn't told you?"

"He scarcely tells me a thing about the group or his work or anything," Daniel seethed. "He's over-protective."

"That would be a first," Beechworth commented with a chuckle. "Of all the things his lovers complain about, protectiveness has never been one of them."

"His lo—" Daniel stopped himself from delving into unimportant matters. He shook his head and took another drink, turning back to Paternoster. "His work is continuing, so I assume that he has reconciled with you enough to have your support."

"Yes, Henry has decided to resume his role in the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ ," Paternoster replied. "I expect you wish to be inducted into the group now as well?"

"No—not yet," Daniel said. "I have to speak with Henry about it first."

Beechworth snickered into his glass. Daniel glared at him until he sobered. _Henry must be known well in the group,_ Daniel thought miserably. _They all know about his proclivities, hence my role in his lifestyle. Damn him! Humiliating me even when he's not here!_

Paternoster had the bemused expression of a grandfather watching small grandchildren squabble at his feet. He sipped wine (Daniel had yet to see him drink anything else) and smoked from a pipe whose bowl was carved in the image of an Eastern king. The smoke smelled faintly of lotus and rose. The rose fragrance brought back unpleasant memories.

"What I came to inquire about was the recent return of the Ledford Expedition," Daniel said hastily. "I have become friends with Charles Ledford, and I am helping to research the artifacts that he brought back to the museum. I am told that you funded the expedition?"

"I patronize many endeavors."

"The artifacts seem to be having a strange effect on Charles' mind," Daniel said. "I know the look he had in his eyes today, it's not very different from the one I had after returning from Africa."

"Yes. And?"

"I just wondered exactly what it is that he found?" Daniel asked. "Is it dangerous?"

"Who can say?" Paternoster shrugged. "There are many mysteries in this world, Daniel. I have neither the time nor the obligation to begin explaining them all to you."

Stung, Daniel drank steadily. Beechworth seemed to take some pity on him. He turned in his chair to him, after getting a nod of permission from Paternoster.

"Now that the British Museum is interested in exploring beyond Western shores, the group has a rare opportunity to steer their researches in the most _illuminating_ directions," Beechworth informed Daniel. "This must be done very subtly, of course, but anything is possible with enough money."

"I see," Daniel said. "So, in the case of Charles Ledford, you were able to suggest a site of excavation?"

"More of a general location, included within a list of many potential sites," Beechworth said. "Certain researchers that are loyal to us also joined the expedition team and were able to conveniently 'discover' the correct clues to lead the expedition in the right direction."

"Yes, Henry said you send spies into the mainstream to glean information that might be useful to the group."

"For all his protest, Henry is already treating you as a member of the group," Paternoster remarked. "Normally no one of us would be so free with that information to an outsider."

"I'm not quite an outsider, though, am I?"

Paternoster nodded in agreement. He sipped wine. Daniel turned back to Beechworth.

"What were you looking for out there?" he asked. "Charles said that some of his men joked about finding Irem, the City of Pillars."

"Oh?" Paternoster intervened. "And what do you know about Irem, Daniel?"

"Nothing. I just heard the name when Charles said it."

"How disappointing," Paternoster sighed. "You've not even read the correct literature. Have you ever even heard of the Pnakotic Manuscripts? The Necronomicon? De Vermis Mysteriis?"

 _What do all those titles mean?_ Daniel wondered. _They certainly sound important—dark, but important._

"No, I've never heard of those—books?"

"Books, and more than books," Paternoster said. "They are a good starting point, flawed as they all are. But I cannot offer you access to them until you are inducted into the group."

"Oh."

Paternoster looked impatient with him, but he said nothing. Daniel felt inadequate and foolish. He wished that he had found the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ before Alexander, before Henry, and had joined of his own free will and on the merits of his own talent. It would have been wonderful to be a part of this wise old society before his traumas doomed him with such fear and fragility.

"Many have sought Irem for countless ages, and the group is no different," Beechworth explained. "In that sense, the Ledford Expedition was something of a failure. However, they did manage to uncover salient relics of another race and age."

"Those frescoes and bas reliefs depicting the reptilian race, you mean?"

Beechworth and Paternoster shared a look.

"Yes, something must be done about those," Paternoster said. "It is quite dangerous that they are out in the open of the museum for all to see."

"That would be the one downside to using the mainstream to accomplish anything," Beechworth said. "It is difficult to hide away dangerous items before the laymen get their clumsy hands on them."

"We will garner useful information from whatever events transpire, though," Paternoster said. "And when the relics present a challenge to convention, they will be hidden away or, if we are lucky, put up for sale."

"And you would buy them?" Daniel guessed.

"Of course."

"Why not simply have them stolen?" Daniel asked. "Your group seems powerful enough to set such a thing in motion."

"Aren't you just unscrupulous?" Beechworth laughed. "It would be feasible, but most inconvenient. These matters usually take care of themselves."

"The way _my_ 'matter' took care of itself?"

"You're not still sore over that, are you?" Beechworth asked. "For the sake of secrecy, the group must intervene in the world as little as possible. Knowledge comes to those who wait. The group wouldn't have survived from the Roman era until now if it went blundering into every occult mystery the moment it arose."

"I guess you're right," Daniel agreed. "I blindly delved into the mysteries of the Orb, and look how that turned out."

"It turned out rather well for the group," Beechworth said. "Don't look at me that way, Daniel. If you are going to be a member of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ , you must accept our primary tenet: the pursuit of knowledge at all costs."

"Is it really that rigid?" Daniel asked. "You allow Henry to maintain his position in the group, but he wouldn't sacrifice me for it, I think that's obvious. And I don't think I would sacrifice him for it, either."

"You 'don't think'?" Beechworth laughed. "Good God, you can be cold, man."

"It is the ideal, but the group enforces no rules with extremity—save the ones preserving our secrecy," Paternoster said. "I see you mistrust us, but understand that you were not a member of the group when we took the actions we did. We had no reason to try to protect your well-being. Henry's actions were unexpected. I admit that the whole thing could have been handled with more tact. I sometimes forget how … emotional human beings can be."

"For the record, I did try to warn him," Beechworth said. "Henry was smitten by you, Daniel, positively smitten. I thought it might lead to trouble."

"Back to the subject at hand, wh—what were we discussing again?"

"I think you are worried for your friend Charles, but there is no action the group is obliged to take currently," Beechworth said. "We will wait and watch, as always. If you wish to learn more, you really must be inducted, Daniel."

"Of course," Daniel said glumly. "But … "

"Yes?"

"You say that you intervene in the world as little as possible, and you value secrecy," Daniel said. "Would it not be possible to induct me in secret? Has that never been done before? I doubt all spouses and family members are told when you make one of their own a member?"

Beechworth laughed heartily. Paternoster blinked once.

"Your assumptions are correct," the elder man said. "We are not obliged to tell Henry of your membership. However, are you certain that is the course you wish to take? He will find out what you've done eventually."

"But at least then he won't be able to scare me out of it," Daniel said. "I'd rather deal with the fallout of my actions than try to talk him into giving me permission."

Paternoster actually smiled a little. He nodded, sipping his wine.

"Then we will meet on the morrow, young Daniel," he said. "I bid you goodnight."

"And good luck," Beechworth muttered.

Pleased with himself, Daniel stood. He shook the hands of the two men and left the club. Paternoster refilled his glass while Beechworth watched the man leave.

"You'd really make him a member of the group?" Beechworth asked doubtfully. "He may be a little older than I am, but he's rather useless, don't you think?"

"No, I think it is quite the opposite," Paternoster said. "I believe Daniel may turn out to be very useful indeed. There is more to that man than meets the eye, more than he even suspects himself."

Beechworth raised his eyebrows, then frowned. He had only joined the group a year ago but since then he had proven himself worthy enough to be an occasional companion to Paternoster. Paternoster enjoyed fostering the very young, and had a habit of taking the brightest new inductees under his wing. Beechworth's only competition thus far had been Henry Bedloe, and he had expected Henry's weakness for Daniel to ruin his relationship with Paternoster. Instead, it seemed that that unpleasantness would only result in the addition of another youth vying for Paternoster's attention. _And an unworthy one at that,_ Beechworth thought. _Daniel is good for a laugh, but if Paternoster takes him seriously, the matter is no longer humorous. What does he see in that man? All I can see is another one of Bedloe's boys, only more broken, more simpering. What possible use could he be of to the group? Why is Paternoster encouraging him?_

Beechworth looked at Paternoster, but he was inscrutable as ever. Beechworth only hoped that his intentions for Daniel were temporary. He was struggling enough to gain a foothold on his own ambitions, and did not need another competitor diverting his attention.

* * *

On the street, Daniel realized that he had left his hat at the museum. Irritated, he returned to the building despite the late hour. It was very quiet given the late hour, only a few dedicated researchers were working in their offices. The looming building's austere emptiness reminded Daniel of Brennenburg, and he hurried to fetch his hat. On his way back to the entrance, he paused outside the room where the Ledford discoveries were being studied. He thought that he had seen something move in the dark room. Was Charles so far gone that he was still in there? The _Sol Invictus Mithras_ said they would not intervene, but had not once said the relics were not dangerous.

"Charles?" Daniel called. "Is that you?"

Daniel entered the dark room tentatively. The reptilian odor was more noxious than ever. He took out a perfumed handkerchief and held it over his nose and mouth. The preserved images of long-dead monsters leered from their stone prisons. Something rustled in the depths of the room. Daniel whirled around, but he could discern nothing but deep shadows.

"Charles?"

Daniel's voice was small and thin, swallowed by the large space. Was someone whispering just there? No, he could see no one, nothing. His nerves began to fray and the hair on the back of his neck rose. It was all he could do to keep his mind from spinning off into the darkest imaginings.

"Ch—" Daniel ran out of breath and had to gasp before speaking again. "Charles?"

This time he was sure of the sound he heard: furtive scurrying. He told himself it must be rats, rats got into every place in the city, it could only be rats. Rats did not make the sound of footsteps, however. Daniel's blood ran cold. He stood stock still in the center of the room, not even daring to turn back.

"Charles, if you're there answer me?"

The plea was less than a whisper. Daniel numbly walked forward, his breathing unsteady. The reptilian odor began to mingle with another one. Daniel's heart skipped a beat and his stomach plummeted at the unmistakable metallic scent of blood. The floor grew darker before him, but not with shadow this time. Further ahead, he saw the slumped figure from which the dark pool was spreading.

Daniel gave a cry and panic overtook him. He fled from the room, crying for help. He cringed against the wall babbling while the room was lit and explored by the other men. He heard startled sounds coming from within. Daniel saw the looks in the eyes of the other men and ceased his cries. He could not be seen as a coward, he _must not_ be. He steeled himself and returned to the room. One of the researchers was collapsed on the floor, blood pooling around his head. Apparently one of the larger stone pieces had fallen out of its crate and dashed him upon the head, killing him.

"Poor fellow," a man said. "But do not be so upset, Daniel, it was only an accident."

Daniel looked at the splash of blood upon a depiction of one of the reptilian beings and was not so certain. The blood seemed an offering to the vicious humanoid reptile. There was little to be done about it, and Daniel did not dare voice his suspicions. He waited for the police to come and then gave them his statement. At one point, Charles Ledford appeared. Upon seeing the body, he went stark white.

"Terrible luck, just terrible," he murmured to Daniel. "Poor man, poor man. Why was he working in there alone?"

"Why shouldn't he be?"

Charles shook his head and did not answer. His eyes were more sunken than ever and his face had hardened since his return. Daniel wondered why he was in the museum so late, and then noticed the book under his arm. It was a large book bound with battered black leather, a few pages inside loosely sticking out. It looked like something from the archives, perhaps something pertaining to Charles' discoveries.

"You look exhausted, Charles," Daniel said. "Why not join me for a drink?"

"Hm? Oh. No, I couldn't," Charles said. He lifted the book in his arm. "I still have research to do, more research."

"Surely not after all of this?"

"Especially after all of this!" Charles burst out. "I'm sorry, I … I am not myself just now. You've had quite the shock yourself. Go home, Daniel, rest. Be glad that you can rest easily."

Daniel's curiosity nettled at him but his nerves were shot. He bid Charles goodnight and left the museum. Outside, he took a hansom cab home. _At least it's got nothing to do with me,_ he thought, staring out the cab's window. _More death, but it isn't my fault this time._

Once home, the first thing Daniel did was dose himself with laudanum. Henry scolded him for his lateness and they went to dinner together. Once the food and drug had revivified him, Daniel explained what had happened at the museum.

"I'm beginning to wonder if the ancient world _should_ be uncovered," Henry said. "All that ever seems to be unearthed are inhuman evils and ancient misfortunes. You should count yourself lucky to be working from the comfort of the museum, just give those Ledford artifacts a wide berth from now on."

"I intend to," Daniel said. "Still. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say."

"I thought that your venturing days were over?"

"Mine are," Daniel said. He paused. "Perhaps."

"You say that, but you wouldn't last a day without me," Henry said. "Look at your state tonight, one dead body and you're back to laudanum. I should make you sleep alone just to prove the point."

Daniel hated to admit it, but Henry was right. If he were living alone, it would be a sleepless night. _That's the rub of it, how dependent I am on Henry,_ he thought. _I've had his help since my second day back in London and I haven't been able to shake the habit of relying on him. I need his strength, because mine was all used up at Brennenburg. Will I ever be able to stand on my own two feet?_

"Henry, you've taken me in as a lover, but you've discontinued being my psychiatrist," Daniel said. "Do you prefer me this way?"

"What way is that?"

"Broken."

"To be honest, I do," Henry said. "Don't pout about it, Daniel. You were the one that called me something of a beast, remember? As such, I like my prey a bit softened. There's nothing wrong with that."

"There is for me," Daniel said. "I don't want to remain 'softened', Henry. I want to heal. I was never particularly brave, but I was daring enough to try to fulfill my ambitions. I want to be that man again. I want to be _a_ man again."

"If you would like to continue our sessions, then we can," Henry said. "I would say that you are healing well, though, Daniel. Sometimes I think you are healing _too_ well."

"What do you mean?"

"Once Alexander was taken from you, all your guilt seemed to go with him," Henry said. "It's not even been a year since you got into all that trouble in Africa, and you're already yearning for your old curiosity and recklessness."

"But you're here now," Daniel said. "You can stop me from being reckless. As for curiosity, I can't help that, and I would get nowhere in my career without it."

"I am here to reign you in, but I wouldn't be if you went on some expedition," Henry pointed out. "I can give you all the therapy in my power, but it wouldn't change the fact that you're attracted to danger like a moth to flame. You are also prone to madness, besides."

"That was Alexander's fault."

"That is precisely why you can't be trusted, because you think like that," Henry said, pointing his fork at Daniel. "Alexander may have guided your hand, but you kept it steady, didn't you? I am no stranger to cruelty, my experiments have come close to torture, but even I have never gone so far as you did. I am a scientist, my actions have always been for the greater good, and I avoid unnecessary suffering. You, dear Daniel, are a maniac."

"Whatever I am, you won't presume to direct my career, will you?"

"So long as you stay in this blessed country, no, I won't interfere with it."

"And if I decide to join an expedition?"

"If you're unable to walk, you won't be able to travel."

That ended the matter. Despite his threat, Daniel's questions worried Henry. It was not only for Daniel's sake that he wanted to keep the young man close. _I've never loved anyone before,_ Henry thought uncomfortably. _I let him get away once and if he had died at Brennenburg, I never would have had him. I couldn't stand to let him go again._

After dinner they settled down for their nightcaps in the parlor. Daniel read the evening newspaper with interest. Henry smoked a cigar, watching him intently. He pondered why he loved the man so much. He had had more beautiful boys, and a few of them were needy enough. What was it about this one that had always inspired such bestial desire? He sometimes wished that he did not love him so much. Love was proving to be a difficult burden to bear, especially with a lover as unruly as Daniel. It was galling to worry about another man this severely, and a bitter humiliation to realize there was only so much he could keep Daniel from doing. God forbid Daniel ever realized the power he had over Henry; he would be impossible if he did.

"Do you really want to leave me, Daniel?"

"Hm?"

"Do you really want to go off on some adventure and be away from me for so long?" Henry asked. He kept his tone neutral, but his light eyes were morose. "I know I can be hard on you, but I do love you, you know."

"I know that, Henry," Daniel said blandly. "I only miss having an—an _ambition_."

Daniel sounded like he was repeating something. Henry wondered who he had been talking to.

"You'll find something to do with yourself here in England," Henry said. "You're being too impatient. You're only twenty-four."

"But if I did find something to work towards here in England, would you allow me to?" Daniel asked slowly. "You don't share your work with me, and you've forbidden me from joining the _Sol Invictus Mithras_."

"Must you be so extreme about everything?" Henry grumbled. "You didn't know the group even existed before you met me. Why are you so desperate to join it?"

"Because it's a way of exploring the world and history without going on an expedition," Daniel said. "I can't turn a blind eye to the truth of things anymore, Henry, not after all I've gone through. I want to face those mysteries, to understand them as much as possible, so that I won't fear them so much anymore."

"It's that fear that's keeping you safe—from the horrors of this world and from yourself," Henry said. "You would do well to obey it."

"But Henry—"

"No, I don't want to hear another word about it," Henry said. "I won't allow it."

 _I had better not broach the subject again,_ Daniel thought, biting his tongue. He returned to the newspaper in frustration. _He won't ever let me accomplish anything, he's too protective. I'll have to keep my actions to myself._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

March 15, 1840

The _Sol Invictus Mithras_ always met during the ides of March in the guise of an annual social gathering at Winslow Octavio Paternoster's manse. Though outsiders were invited to mingle, the members of the group always met in secret during the event to exchange information and plan the upcoming spring season's activities. It was an ideal time to hold a meeting, just before the mainstream spring social events began.

Daniel felt very fortunate to be attending the event. Henry had said that he was going to work, so Daniel was free to dress in his finest and take a cab to the mansion. He was a little anxious about returning to the site of his captivity, but calmed his nerves with laudanum. Henry only allowed him small quantities of the stuff, but Daniel had a secret stash for himself.

When he arrived, Daniel was too overwhelmed to be fearful. There were guests of all kinds gathered at the mansion, including nobility and people he recognized from the social magazines. The men were groomed to perfection, and the women flounced about in ethereal gowns, their hair glossed and curled around their fair faces. A pleasant murmur rose from the guests as they glided into the mansion. Daniel introduced himself to several interested parties and was swept up in a variety of conversations. He wandered the mansion in wonder, from the ballroom to the drawing room, and then to the parlor where some young men were playing cards. For the first time in his life, he did not feel like an outsider. The thought gave him much pleasure.

It was an exceptionally mild day for the time of year, so the ballroom doors were open onto the back gardens. While taking the air, Daniel was accosted by one of his coworkers from the museum and a woman he introduced as his sister. Daniel was in the habit of comparing all women to his own sister, Hazel, and found this lady to be her polar opposite. She was robust of spirit and figure, and her dark hair winningly showed off her porcelain skin. The interest she eyed Daniel with made him vaguely uncomfortable. The man, one Mr. Barlow, introduced her as his sister Rosalind. While shaking hands, Daniel pressed his thumb and forefinger to the other man's palm, which signified he was a member of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_.

"Why, I had no idea you were a member of the group," Mr. Barlow said in a low voice. "My sister and I both belong to it."

"I have never seen you here before," Rosalind said. "I should have remembered such a gentleman."

"I was only just accepted into it," Daniel explained.

"How do you like it?" Mr. Barlow asked. "This is one of our more mundane gatherings, of course, but it's still an event, isn't it?"

"Mundane? All this?"

"You really are new," laughed Mr. Barlow. "This is nothing, only a staff meeting in disguise, so to speak. The rituals are the pinnacle of excitement!"

"Rituals?" Daniel echoed faintly, thinking of Brennenburg.

"Certain subgroups are obsessed with the occult," Mr. Barlow explained. "If you have the nerve for it, perhaps we'll bring you into our little subset in future. It would be—Ho! Is that Jameson Beechworth? Excuse me, Daniel. My sister can tell you all about our wicked little ways. Ha ha!"

Mr. Barlow made his way back into the ballroom to speak with Beechworth. Daniel was left to take the lady's arm. They walked through the garden, the smell of grass blending appealingly with her perfume. Daniel did not socialize with women very often, and he had never been alone with such a beautiful feminine specimen. He felt intimidated for reasons he could not quite understand.

"You mustn't take my brother seriously, he's quite the buffoon sometimes," Rosalind said. "Our interest in the occult is purely academic, despite his love of the high drama of ritual. Our subset is fairly harmless, the only danger in it is the information we pass along."

"What do you mean by 'subset'?" Daniel asked. "Are there many different smaller groups in the _Sol Invictus Mithras_?"

"Oh my, yes," Rosalind said. "The group on the whole is quite nebulous, which is part of how it is able to reach so far into all strata of society. So long as the members keep the secrecy and ideology of it, they are welcome to all the benefits. Certain members naturally gravitate towards those of like mind in the smaller matters: for example, one subset is dedicated to the medical field, and another to musicians. All are generally congenial to one another, barring the occasional conflict which are mostly from the political subsets."

"There are politicians in the group?"

"Many of the top leaders of this country are or have been a part of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ ," Rosalind said. "Mr. Paternoster wields tremendous influence in this country."

"I see," Daniel said thoughtfully. "Do the subsets overlap? Your brother is involved with the occult, but he is also an archaeologist."

"Indeed. The overlapping of different groups is one of the most important practices," Rosalind said. "There is a principle that all the group's knowledge must be shared among members freely. This has led to some squabbles over patents and such, but on the whole it is very convenient. Many breakthroughs have come from different scholars of different fields sharing information and working together."

"Are there rules among the subgroups?"

"My, you're a curious one," Rosalind smiled maternally. "It depends on the subgroup. Some subsets are rigorous about membership, others let members go and come at will. The circle my brother and I are a part of are dedicated to the academic study of the occult, and we're always glad to share information with anyone. It is all relative, as is natural for such a massive organization as the _Sol Invictus Mithras._ There are wheels within wheels within spheres inside of spheres. I don't know how Mr. Paternoster manages it all."

"It's very impressive."

"Isn't it just?" Rosalind's expression grew sly. "Of course, not all the spheres in the group are devoted to academia."

"Yes, I was told there are artists, actors, creators of all kinds."

"Oh, but it isn't all about work, either, Daniel," Rosalind said. "Exploration of the mind is well and good, but the exploration of the body is equally important."

"Yes, physicians are quite important."

"Oh dear," Rosalind laughed, shaking her head. "No, Daniel, I was speaking of the _pleasures_ of the body. There are quite a few circles devoted to that."

"O-oh. Yes. Well." Daniel cleared his throat. "Right, Henry did say something about that."

"Henry?"

"Oh, my friend, Henry Bedloe."

Rosalind's eyes widened, and then a knowing look overtook her face. Her smile was resigned this time.

"I see," she said.

"Don't misunderstand—"

"It's quite all right, Daniel," Rosalind said, patting his arm. "You'll find most of the members of the group to be quite open-minded, or tolerant in the very least. So many secrets are shared amongst us that no one dares betray another for fear of their own secret lives coming to light. It is a very convenient arrangement."

"Is Henry really so well known?" Daniel had to ask. "Everyone I've met so far seems to know him by reputation."

"He's never told you?" Rosalind asked in shock. "Oh dear. It … really is not my place."

"Please, tell me, why is he so dam—so very notable?"

"Henry joined the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ when he was just eighteen," Rosalind said. "He was quite a figure: so very tall, swarthy, with the strength and brutality of a fiend. Before his brilliance in the field of psychiatry became apparent, he garnered attention for a very different reason."

"Which was?"

"Sex, to put it indelicately," Rosalind said, relishing the word. She laughed at Daniel's shocked expression. "You'll find the women of the group to be less cowed in manner than the mundane ladies of society, Daniel. As for Henry, he was wild with freedom. He was a brutal but creative lover, and broke the hearts of many ladies and gentlemen that fell madly in love with him."

"Ladies?"

"Oh yes, he's had his share of women," Rosalind said. "My friend Celia suffered an unfortunate episode of obsession with him after they had a tryst during one of the orgies a certain subgroup is fond of holding. Though as you surely know, Henry has more of an appetite for boys. This is not the first time that I've set my eye on a lovely young man that Henry has staked a claim on first."

 _Hazel would rather hang than speak so frankly about such things,_ Daniel thought, his face red. _I should be offended, but somehow it's refreshing. This woman is as easy to speak with as a man._

"Yes, your Henry was all animal in the beginning," Rosalind said. "Paternoster took him under his wing and smoothed some of his rough edges, though. Of course, his brutality being softened into mere play made him all the more popular."

 _Play?_ Daniel thought. _It's hardly just play. These people are so worldly. It's a bit intimidating_.

"And that is the story of Henry Bedloe, my unexpected competitor," Rosalind said. "I beg your pardon, Daniel, but the man is a glutton. Although, you know, I have supped from his table on occasion."

Daniel did not know how to respond to that. Rosalind's hand crept up his arm. She stopped walking and stood very closely to him. He focused on her amethyst teardrop-shaped earrings, trying to ignore her ample, heaving bosom.

"What do you say, Daniel?" she asked. "Have you ever been with a woman at all? I assure you, we can be just as deliciously rough as men."

"Madam, I, er, I—"

Jameson Beechworth rescued him.

"Behave, Rosalind," he told her with a grin. "The boy is spoken for."

"When has that ever deterred me?" Rosalind said lazily. "But you're right, I shouldn't be teasing the poor thing. Daniel, please, don't mind me. My appetites betray me. I think I shall go find something … to eat. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance."

"Pleasure was, er, all mine."

"I hope so."

With that, Rosalind left the men. Daniel let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Beechworth laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Quite a woman, isn't she?" he said. "I swear, I shall never marry so long as the lovely Lady Rosalind is near! You had best keep your distance, though, poor fellow. She would eat you alive, and Henry would turn your bones to powder. Come, let's go inside. Have you seen all of the mansion?"

"Ah, no, I haven't."

"Then let's give you a tour of the place. Come along, come along."

* * *

Daniel followed Beechworth in awe as he guided him through the manor. It was equipped with all the amenities of any manor on the first floor, all laid out in exquisite splendor. The gallery contained beauty so stunning it took Daniel's breath away, along with pieces so shocking or morbid that he had to pass by them quickly. The second floor consisted of the bedrooms, including a guest hall that could fit nearly everyone at the party (and was often used for orgies, Beechworth cheerfully added). The third floor surprised Daniel with its sophisticated laboratories; they put the alchemical equipment of Brennenburg to shame.

The library was the pride and joy of the manor. It was open between the first and second floor, allowing for entrance from either level. It was the mirror opposite of the ballroom, located on the other side of the mansion entirely, and just as large. Tall ladders stood like sentinels before endless rows of books set on gleaming oak shelves. There were accounts of expeditions and explorers so obscure Daniel had thought they were mythological. Beechworth practically had to drag him away, lest he spend the entire day reading.

Afternoon turned to evening, and dusk settled upon the world outside the mansion. In the back of the first floor, Daniel saw the stars coming out through a large round skylight in an atrium. The atrium was made of stone, encircled by massive marble pillars. The floor was tiled with astrological designs. There were several expensive and complicated telescopes placed throughout the room.

"It's all so … so … " Daniel floundered for words.

"Impressive?"

"Yes, but it's also … old-fashioned," Daniel said. "I mean that in a good way. It reminds me of the Renaissance, or the decadent periods of ancient Rome. All this knowledge and art in one place, shared among friends as easily as food and wine. It's splendid."

Beechworth nodded in agreement. They stood for a minute watching night fall, then Beechworth led Daniel away. They passed through the quieter halls at the back of the first floor, and Beechworth prompted Daniel inside a small chamber.

"Ah, you have an ascending room, too."

"Descending, actually."

"Just like Brennenburg," Daniel said. "I had to fix that damned thing. I wonder if this one operates similarly?"

Beechworth ignored the question. He had learned it was best to pick and choose when to answer the man, otherwise he would be explaining things all night. Daniel was as inquisitive as a small child. He pulled the lever on the elevator, and the chamber descended.

Daniel's hands began to tremble, so he shoved them into his jacket pockets. He had repaired the elevator at Brennenburg, and it had taken him into the depths of Hell. He figured the dungeon where Paternoster had locked him must be down here. It was silly to suspect he would be imprisoned again, there was no reason for it, but his nerves were rattling nonetheless.

The elevator stopped on the first of two basement levels. The walls and floor were made of stone, but it was undamaged and swept clean. Further down the hall, frescoes depicting the sorcerer-deity Mithras decorated the walls. There were many Latin inscriptions describing the deeds and creeds of Mithras. The place felt ancient, as if Daniel had stepped backwards in time to that glorious old empire. Beechworth opened a heavy set of double doors, and light flooded a room that looked like a temple.

"This is the Mithraeum," he explained. "It is where meetings and rituals take place."

"Why was my initiation not held here?" Daniel asked. "It was in the atrium."

"Your initiation was a bit different," Beechworth said. His voice echoed in the stone chamber. "Normally, we expose initiates to an Orb, but you had already had more than enough contact with those. So, Paternoster and I held a more private ceremony for you, without using an Orb."

"Oh, I see."

They left the Mithraeum to its solemn silence. Daniel desperately wanted to return to the ground level, but Beechworth insisted they explore the entirety of the basement. They took the elevator down to the second level. Though there was only a long corridor of plain iron doors, Daniel immediately recognized it as the dungeon. Being here made him ache with memories. He was just going to insist they go back to the elevator, when they came upon none other than Paternoster—and Henry.

"Well, well, look who's here," Beechworth said with false surprise. "Good evening, Mr. Paternoster. Henry."

Neither Daniel nor Henry heard him. They were staring at one another, wide-eyed, speechless. Daniel thought he might faint from dread and shock, but consciousness held him fast. He was able to see every gear shift in Henry's mind, every mark of anger overtake his face and body. Daniel tried to will himself to faint, but his body would not cooperate.

"Daniel?" Henry asked pointlessly. "Why are you here?"

"He was invited," Paternoster said pointedly. "By me."

Henry turned to Paternoster. His hands were clenched into fists and his blue eyes were pure ice. Daniel began to step backwards.

"You?" Henry breathed. " _You_? What is this? You've inducted him into the _Sol Invictus Mithras_? Without my permission?"

"You know that we do not ask the permission of anyone other than the inductees themselves," Paternoster said. "I was not obliged to inform you."

"I would expect nothing less from you," sneered Henry.

Henry turned just in time to see Daniel backing away. His hand reached out and he caught the youth by the wrist. Daniel gasped.

"But you?" Henry asked, his voice rising. " _You_ went behind my back? After I told you that I would never allow this, you joined them? Without so much as a word to me?"

"I tried to get your permission, but you never listened to me!" Daniel said. "You wouldn't even entertain the idea! It wasn't fair!"

"So you disobeyed me like this?" Henry yelled, shaking him. "How long? How long have you been with these godless bastards?"

"F-for … For … "

"A bit more than a fortnight," Beechworth provided.

"You've been lying to me all that time?" Henry boomed down at Daniel. "Every day? Sneaking around, meeting up with these people—all this time?"

"I had to! It was the only way!"

As the surprise wore off, Henry's anger took its place. He backhanded Daniel across the face, holding him on his feet by the arm. Paternoster and Beechworth stepped aside, though they did not leave them. There was always the chance that Henry's lowest impulses could take over, and it would not do to lose a new member so soon.

Henry began to fear the same thing. Trying his best to control himself, he threw Daniel into a prison cell, and shut the door behind him. He stood very still outside the door, breathing in and out slowly. His hands shook with fury. He wanted to wrap them around Daniel's throat and be rid of the nuisance once and for all.

"You set this all up, didn't you?" he asked Paternoster, eyes shut.

"It is best that you get the confrontation over with," Paternoster said. "The group has enough in-fighting amongst the politicians, we do not need such petty lovers' quarrels."

"Petty lovers' quarrels," Henry repeated bitterly. He laughed incredulously. "Petty lovers' quarrels. Damn you to the depths of Hell, Paternoster."

Paternoster just nodded. Henry could not even think about him at the moment. Daniel's betrayal should not have been unexpected, but it shocked him as much as a slap in the face. He was disturbed by how shaken he was, which only added to his fury. He felt—helpless. He wanted to kill the man, he truly did, but he could not.

 _No, I cannot,_ he thought. _My God, I … I couldn't do it. Even now, I can't imagine my life without him. So what can I do? All I can do … is punish him. Yes, that's it. I'll punish him. At least I can do that. At least I can hurt him back._

Henry opened his cool blue eyes. He went into a particular room of the dungeon, retrieved a flogger, and then went into the cell where Daniel was. He lit the torch set into the wall and shut the door behind himself. Daniel was in the back of the room, cowering on the cot.

"Henry, please, let me explain."

"There is nothing to explain," Henry said dully. "You disobeyed me, and I am going to punish you. That's all there is to it, Daniel."

"Henry, please, if you'll just listen!"

Henry stopped listening to him. If he had not, the murderous urges would have returned. He made his way over to the cot, catching Daniel before he could run away. The youth fought, but he was no match for Henry, and stopped his struggles after a few slaps on the face. He sat down and forced the young man over his knees, securing his arms against the small of his back. He could not control Daniel's actions, so much as he wanted to, but at least he could control his punishment. The power soothed his temper some, and he decided to take his time wresting control back from his errant lover.

Daniel felt horribly foolish as Henry pushed his jacket up and pulled his trousers down. He had felt so accomplished just that morning as he dressed himself in his best, and now here he was reduced to boyhood again. He had known this was coming the moment he was inducted into the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ , but it was no less miserable. Henry's massive palm slapped his bared bottom hard and fast, quickly building up a sting.

"It was worth it!" Daniel blurted out angrily. "Do you hear me? You can't control my life, Henry! You can do whatever you want to me now, but I'll still be a member of the group, and it will have been worth it!"

Henry ignored him. He forced himself to focus on the young man's bottom, which was reddening rapidly. Daniel kicked violently, so he laid one leg over Daniel's legs, trapping them. With the man entirely at his mercy, he steadily laid the hefty blows upon his trembling flesh. The physical pleasure he derived from it was mild: he was wholly intent on punishing Daniel. He was too furious to even be aroused.

Daniel gave up his pleas and explanations, knowing they were falling upon deaf ears. He gritted his teeth and resolved to take the punishment without giving Henry the satisfaction of crying out. It grew difficult as the spanking wore on. _When is he going to stop?_ Daniel wondered, his eyes hot with tears. He squirmed helplessly, his buttocks burning painfully. _He does have to stop eventually, doesn't he?_

But Henry did not stop. When he did, it was only for a brief second, before he snapped the flogger across Daniel's bottom. Daniel had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. His resolve did not last long. The knots at the ends of the flogger's tails bit cruel bruises into his buttocks and thighs, overlaying the spanking's blazing sting. Every crack brought a fresh streak of pain, until his ears were ringing with the sound. Henry did not pause to rub his bottom or pat his head, not even to scold him, as he usually did. There were only the cracks of the whip to admonish him with their scorching pain.

Daniel burst into loud sobs as the minutes ticked by agonizingly. He resumed begging and pleading for mercy, howling in pain. With his arms and legs restrained, he could only wriggle uselessly, never once escaping the stroke of the whip. When the whip snapped across his lower back, just above his buttocks, he choked with pain. His stomach tied itself in knots, and his chest heaved with sobs, seeming to throb with inner pain. He hardly recognized his voice for its hoarse shrieks. Through it all, Henry said not a word, which made it hurt all the more.

Outside the door, Beechworth and Paternoster listened to all of this. Paternoster was calm as ever. Beechworth began to flinch at the sound of the whip.

"I actually feel sorry for him," he said. "It's a good thing this level is sound-proofed. Henry isn't going to let up anytime soon."

"It's for the best," Paternoster said. "Let Bedloe get it out of his system once and for all. Then they can work together for the sake of the group."

Daniel screamed pitifully. Beechworth shook his head.

"He may be older than I am," he said, "but poor boy."

By the time the sounds ended and the two men entered the room, Daniel was on the floor sobbing like a small child. He was on his knees, arms around his head on the cot, howling and crying. His backside was still exposed, displaying hideous scarlet lines and splotches of bruises, a few of which were bleeding. Henry still sat on the cot, the flogger in his hand, his eyes staring down at Daniel. He looked tired, and very sad.

Beechworth went to Daniel and knelt down beside him, a hand on his back. He hissed in sympathy as he looked over the marks lining the man's buttocks, thighs, and lower back. At the same time, he wondered if Daniel was stupid, mad, or both to have defied Henry in the first place.

"All right, man, all right," he awkwardly tried to comfort Daniel. "It's all over now, isn't it?"

Daniel was inconsolable. He bawled as if his heart would break, yelping in pain every time he moved the slightest bit. Beechworth looked at Henry appealingly. Henry stared blankly for a moment, then blinked himself back to reality. He sighed, tossing the flogger to the floor, and pushed Beechworth away.

"Yes," he agreed with Beechworth, "it is all over. Shh, hush now, Daniel. It's done. Come here. There's a good lad."

Henry helped Daniel up onto the cot. He removed his jacket and ascot, then laid him down on his stomach. He rubbed Daniel's bottom gently, kissed the top of his head. Daniel went on hollering.

"There is a private guest room prepared for you on the second floor," Paternoster announced. "I don't think the boy is in any condition to travel tonight. When you are ready, a servant upstairs will show you to it. Come, Beechworth, let's respect their privacy."

Beechworth was grateful to leave the two men to their intimacy. Paternoster swept out of the cell, Beechworth on his heels. As no one else had any reason to be in the dungeon, Daniel and Henry were alone.

Henry lifted Daniel's head by his hair, though not too harshly. Daniel looked up at him through a teary haze, cheeks still red from the slaps. Henry released his hair and took his face in one hand to keep it up.

"Do you still believe it was worth it?" Henry asked. "Disobeying me? Lying to me? _Betraying_ me?"

Daniel shook his head, fresh tears spilling from his eyes. Henry kissed some of them away, then pressed his mouth to Daniel's. Daniel's kiss was very meek. Henry climbed onto the bed and pulled Daniel atop himself. Daniel rested his head on his chest, clinging to his shirt for comfort. His eyes were very round and thunderstricken.

"You entrusted yourself to me, Daniel," Henry said. "I did not have to draw you in at the first, you sought me out on your own, do you remember? You kept my card, and you called on my office for psychiatric help. You took my offer of friendship. Despite my initial intentions, I risked everything to protect you, I would have given everything up just to love you. Why would you lie to me?"

"I only w-wanted to be of use," Daniel sniffled. "I felt s-so unimportant at work. I just wanted to feel useful again. I wanted to have an ambition."

"No, you just wanted to have your way," Henry said wearily. "Well, so be it. It's done. Whatever comes of this, it will be on your head, Daniel. And your arse."

Daniel moaned and buried his face in Henry's shirt. Henry snorted in amusement and stroked his hair. Daniel shuddered and sobbed softly.

"You frighten me, Daniel," Henry said. "I thought that I had full control of my mind and my life. I worked very hard and made many sacrifices to take control of myself. But today, I almost lost that control completely. I almost let go of everything, almost lost myself to that old dumb rage again. It's love, Daniel. I cannot control this love, and it frightens me."

"I'm sorry," Daniel murmured contritely. "I never … I never thought that you were capable of feeling that way. Of feeling … "

"Helpless," Henry admitted. "You make me feel helpless, Daniel. This love is claustrophobic, I feel trapped within it. When you hurt me, I felt so desperate to escape it that for a moment I wanted to kill you."

The words were said so gravely that Daniel was almost grateful for the whipping.

"Then I realized something even more diminishing: I _cannot_ kill you," Henry said. "I cannot live without you. I've never depended on anyone in my life, I've never _needed_ anyone in it. I have made myself strong by making others expendable. So long as I held that view, I could control anyone and anything, including myself. Now I've lost that. No, _you_ have taken it away from me. I feel I should hate you for it, at least, but I can't even do that. I love you, Daniel."

Daniel did not have the will to speak. The severity of the whipping and the energy he had expended sobbing had shocked him into sleepiness. He shut his eyes, beginning to fade despite the throbbing pain. Henry nudged him awake again, sitting up.

"No, let's not sleep down here," he said. "Come, we'll go up to the guest room."

Daniel climbed down from the cot, leaning on Henry and cringing as he stood. He yowled in agony as Henry pulled his trousers back up, the fabric abrasive against his battered skin. He leaned on Henry's shoulder to gather himself before daring to move again. Henry put an arm around him to keep him steady.

Upstairs, a servant guided them to the second floor, using the empty passageways through the back of the house. Through his daze, Daniel heard someone playing the piano in another room, bursts of laughter amid the murmur of conversation. It felt like an age ago that he had been just another happy guest.

Henry helped Daniel undress in their room, and Daniel collapsed on the bed. Henry left to fetch something, then returned. He removed his jacket and boots, sat on the bed beside Daniel. He lifted the young man's shirt up off his backside and began to massage balm into his sore flesh. Daniel cringed, but eventually it began to soothe the sting. He watched Henry as he worked, pondering what he had said.

"Do you hate me, Henry?"

"I told you that I love you, didn't I?"

"Yes, but do you also hate me?"

Henry paused to look at him directly. _He looks anything but hateful with his bottom whipped and those tears in his eyes,_ he thought. _That's always been the trap._

"I hate what you cause me to feel," Henry said. "I'm still angry with you. I think you are a selfish little brat. But I don't hate you. I've tried to, it would all be easier if I did, but I can't."

"Then, I can forgive you," Daniel said, scrubbing his eyes. He lay his head back down. "Even for this."

"Forgive _me_? You earned this, Daniel."

Daniel gave him such a pitiful look that Henry flushed with guilt. He hastily continued tending his partner's injuries. _I really laid into him,_ he thought. _I wasn't even thinking. I never intended to break the skin. It's only a few cuts, but I never meant to make him bleed. Damn my savagery!_

"I … will not do this again."

"You won't spank me?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"No, I will spank you if you deserve it, but not this harshly," Henry ground the words out. "This was … too much. I won't ever go so far again, I promise."

As if reminded of his poor treatment all over again, Daniel sniffed. He reached out to Henry, who embraced him securely. He set the balm aside and sat further up on the bed to cradle Daniel in his arms. Daniel cried on his chest, shaking a little. Henry comforted him as best he could until the youth fell asleep.

* * *

Henry was wrested from sleep late that night by Daniel thrashing about and yelling. He caught the man's wrists and held him still. Daniel's eyes looked wildly about, then settled on Henry.

"It was only a nightmare," Henry said. "Shh, Daniel, look at me. You were only dreaming."

Daniel rolled onto his side and curled up into Henry's arms. He wiped sweat and tears from his face, exhaling slowly to calm himself. He had dreamt that he heard Alexander calling to him, beckoning from the shadows of Brennenburg.

"This is disgusting," Daniel murmured sleepily. "Being whipped and having nightmares. Did I ever really grow up? I'm supposed to be a man. Aren't I a man, Henry?"

"Not to me," Henry said lightly. He rubbed Daniel's bottom affectionately. "You'll always be a boy to me— _my_ boy."

"I'm pathetic," Daniel yawned. "That's why I wanted so much to join the group. I thought perhaps I could be strong, perhaps I could learn to be stronger."

"Hush. Now isn't the time to worry about any of that," Henry said. "Are you hungry? You've not had dinner."

"A bit."

"I'll fetch a tray of something."

"Don't leave me."

"I'll leave a candle lit."

Daniel was too weary to argue. He lay alone in the bed, watching the candlelight throw shadows onto the walls. He was drifting off to sleep again when there was a knock on the door. Before he could answer, it opened, and Lady Rosalind entered the room. Daniel hastily pulled the sheets over his mostly bare body. She stood right over the bed, looking down at him curiously. Then she took his face by the chin and turned it, studying the reddened side.

"Madam, please, you should not be in here," Daniel said. "It's inappropriate."

"Don't worry, Jameson told me all about it when we were—conversing," Rosalind said. "May I see?"

"No." _Damn Beechworth!_

Rosalind lifted the sheet regardless. She scrutinized the bruises with narrowed eyes before Daniel snatched the covers back. He tried to sit up to save a scrap of dignity, but he ended up on his stomach again. Miserable, he lay mortified beneath the strange woman's gaze.

"Dear boy, why would you let that brute do such a thing to you?"

"It wasn't exactly a choice."

"Yet you still choose to lay in bed beside him," Rosalind pointed out. "Why?"

"He loves me," Daniel said. "I love him, too, though not so much at the moment."

"There are far easier people to love than Henry Bedloe," Rosalind said. "Far gentler, softer people."

Daniel averted his eyes as she sat on the edge of the bed. She wore only a white nightgown, through which her curves were dangerously visible. A cool soft palm touched his face, smoothing his hair and brushing the sweat away.

"Why would you subject yourself to so cruel a lover?" Rosalind asked. "Do you not know how to accept kindness?"

"You don't know me, Lady Rosalind," Daniel said ominously. "If you did, you would not need to ask those questions."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"I've done bad things," Daniel said. "I've done horrible, unspeakable things, even by the standards of this group. I suffered for them and I've forgiven myself, to some extent, but I'm still terrified of falling back into that darkness. Henry is strong enough to protect me, even if it's from myself. I not only love him, I _need_ him."

"Is that so, or do you only believe that you need him?" Rosalind asked. "Wouldn't you like to learn how not to need that beast so desperately? Do you not wish for freedom?"

Daniel knew he should respond negatively, but something stayed his tongue. He had joined the group for those very reasons. How had this woman seen through him after only meeting him twice? Her insightful sharpness was frightening, and her boldness was worse. She was stroking his hair now in a way that was partly motherly, partly seductive. It was different, being touched by a woman; there was a sweetness in it that Henry could never have. Despite himself, Daniel was eased by the touch. Was she humming a lullaby?

Daniel came fully awake when Henry returned. He stopped at the doorway, tray of food in hand. Rosalind smiled and stood from the bed. Daniel was amazed at the fearless way she faced Henry.

"Rosalind."

"Henry."

Henry stared at her, then flatly said, "Get out."

Rosalind lifted her hands in a careless gesture, bid Daniel goodnight, and left the room. Henry's mouth was a tight line. He returned to bed, setting the tray of food between them. Daniel picked at bread and cheese.

"That woman," Henry finally said.

"Yes?"

"That woman is a manipulative harpy," Henry said. "What did she want?"

"Me," Daniel said honestly. "We met earlier, before … all that trouble. She was very disappointed to find out that I was yours, but she says she has supped from your table before."

"She certainly has," Henry said darkly. "She has a taste for handsome boys that rivals my own. But do not think she is all softness simply because she is a woman. She can be as cruel as I am."

"She said women could be that way, but as harsh as you are?" Daniel gave a one-note laugh. "Surely not?"

"Yes," Henry said. "Tell me, did she insist upon seeing your marks?"

"Well, yes, she, er, pulled the sheet off." Daniel blushed. "Beechworth told her all about it, apparently."

"And she just had to see how adorable the new young man looks after a whipping," Henry surmised. "Don't believe for a moment that she wanted anything else. That woman is a sadist."

"Are you jealous?"

Henry thought Daniel was taunting him, but the man appeared merely curious. Henry checked his temper. _I have to do something about it,_ he thought. _I can't continue losing my self-control because of this lad. It won't end well for either of us._

"Rosalind Barlow is jealous of me," Henry explained. "As I said, she shares my tastes down to their last particularity. She uses her femininity to pose a counterpoint to my roughness, and she has lured a few of my lovers away from me just so. But she is no more lenient than I am. Her cruelty is in fact more subtle, she enjoys diminishing her partners in mind and body. She has broken her share of young men and women."

"Women?" Daniel was bewildered. "How do you mean? Women can … I mean, they can … have sex? With each other?"

Henry could not help but laugh. Daniel pouted, embarrassed by his naivete. Henry ruffled his hair and fed him a piece of fruit by hand. Daniel frowned as he chewed, obviously thinking furiously on the mechanics of so many varieties of intimacy.

"I will explain it all to you in due time," he said. "Yes, Rosalind has had lovers of both sexes. So have I. We have been embroiled in a sort of competition for a while. It has been only a minor annoyance, but her desire for you is an escalation. I _will not_ let her have you. I would kill her first."

Daniel looked at him with wide eyes. He tried to find a trace of humor on Henry's face, but the man was deadly serious. _He can't bring himself to kill me, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't kill someone who comes between us,_ Daniel thought. _I must be careful, then. I would hate to get anyone killed. Rosalind may be a peculiar woman, but I don't think she's bad._

After eating, Henry put the tray by the door, and climbed back into bed beside Daniel. Unbeknownst to the two of them, Rosalind had lingered just outside their door. Her ears were keen and she had heard most of their words. She heard curiosity in Daniel's voice, and the appetizing ignorance of an ingenue. Her lips, red even without rouge, curled into a predatory smile. _That boy may be Henry's final undoing,_ she thought. _Ho! To see the beast devoured by his own appetites! What sport that would be! What fun! Perhaps sometime I will go hunting for his delectable new prey._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

March 16, 1840

Henry awoke awash with guilt. He rolled over and pulled Daniel gently into his arms again. Daniel murmured and frowned in his sleep, burrowing his face into Henry's burly chest. His backside was livid with scarlet and purple lines, from the small of his back to his lower thighs. Some of the lashes had reopened during the night, leaving smudges of blood on the back of Daniel's long shirt. Henry could see nothing of a man in him, he saw only a pitiful little boy. How could he have been so cruel? Certainly Daniel had deserved a sound spanking, but not this.

Henry could not bear the sight. He kissed Daniel's forehead and then climbed out of bed. Daniel continued sleeping, and Henry expected he would not wake for some time yet. The beating had exhausted him.

Henry attended to his toilet and then dressed. Outside the guestroom door he found two trunks and a note. It was addressed to Henry and read,

 _'I suspect you shall be staying for a day or two more, given Daniel's condition. I had my servants fetch some things for you from your apartments.'_

The note was signed by Paternoster. Henry sighed and crumbled it in his hand. He dragged the trunks into the guestroom and set them where Daniel would see them. He was too depressed to bother changing into fresh clothing himself, but Daniel was particular about such things. He took one last look at his sleeping lover and left, shutting the door softly.

Henry and Daniel were not the only guests that had spent the night. There was breakfast set out for any who might want it in the dining room, and several people were bustling about. Rosalind was eating voluptuously while flirting with her sometimes-lover Beechworth. Her luminous dark eyes followed Henry as he made his way to the table, but she did not address him. Paternoster sat at the head of the table, eating sparsely and drinking wine. He watched over them all in the fashion of one of the languid, dreaming gods of the Orient. Henry was too tired to even hate him. In fact, he sat at his right, to avoid the company of the others farther down the table.

"You win," Henry told Paternoster.

"I was not aware of having been in competition."

"Please do not be so condescending, you have my obedience," Henry said. "You were my mentor before all of this business with Daniel. I admired and respected you—I still do. The very qualities I envied you for were what drove you to orchestrate all you put Daniel through, and I cannot blame you for inducting him into the group. You are who and what you are. I should have kept that in mind, but I was blinded by my ardor for the boy. I can only think that your forgiveness of my trespasses against you is due to the fact that you understand this."

"I do."

Henry took a moment to chew his food. The whipping he had given Daniel had drained his dark impulses and left him rational again. He wished that he had seen reason sooner. At least his mind was his own again.

"I thank you for your understanding," Henry said. "And I owe you an apology for my behavior. I am sorry."

"I accept your apology," Paternoster said. "It is good to have you back in the fold again, Mr. Bedloe. You are one of our most talented. I know that you did not wish for Daniel to be a member of our group, but I believe that the two of you shall do great work together for us. Great work indeed."

"I don't see how," Henry said. "Daniel is an archaeologist and a historian. I am a psychiatrist. Our fields do not intersect often."

"You would be surprised at how the one may affect the other," Paternoster said. "After all, do archaeologists not already study psychiatry? They delve into the behaviors of the ancients whose artifacts they dig up, study their languages and their arts. Is there no psychiatry in that?"

"I never thought about it that way."

"Even if you do not work together professionally, you are good for one another," Paternoster said. "Once you find a way to support his career, he will draw the courage it requires from you. And you finally have an outlet for your urges, one that you not only enjoy but cherish. Now that everything is settled between you and you have both taken your places in the world, I expect great things to come from you both."

"I hope so," Henry said. "I wished to keep Daniel close at hand, protected and safe, but he isn't meant for it. I should have listened to him before he felt the need to go behind my back. I should have realized that I couldn't simply beat those impulses out of him. I've studied the mind long enough to know which behaviors can be changed and which are too deeply ingrained in a person's character. But love blinded me, and infuriated me as well. I've never loved anyone so much. It frightened me, so I reacted the way I had in childhood. I tried to beat away everything that frightened me. I took my own insecurities out on Daniel. It's disappointing. I am dreadfully disappointed in myself."

"All the more reason to return to your work," Paternoster's reedy voice whistled.

"I suppose you're right," Henry said. "Yes, I have obviously not mastered my mind as thoroughly as I believed I had. There will need to be new studies, new treatments. I must delve more deeply into these things."

"That's the spirit."

"No, it's science."

Paternoster and Henry glanced up. Rosalind had come over, finished eating and with a fresh glass of wine. She took the seat on Paternoster's left. Henry sighed and resumed eating with a fervor.

"I don't know what either one of you expect to accomplish, trying to read the mind as if it were a book," Rosalind said. "The mind, the heart, the body, all are merely tools used by the spirit, and the spirit is an elemental thing. It is a thing of passion, gentlemen. What chemicals or dissections could ever cure the passions of the spirit?"

"No one means to cure them," Henry retorted. " _You_ are well aware of how I favor my passions. However, we must curb them, for the sake of retaining our humanity. Otherwise what is there to separate us from the beasts?"

"Oh you men, always believing yourselves to be so above the beasts," Rosalind laughed. "All your work will never make you less of a beast, Henry Bedloe."

"You are rather beastly yourself, woman."

"I shall take that as a compliment," Rosalind said. "You misunderstand me, Bedloe. I never said that our passions _should_ be curbed or cured. We must all accept the animals residing within. My point was that you overreach yourself, and your meddling in the laws of nature will only cause harm."

"No more harm than I caused last night," Henry said. "Miss Barlow, please. I am in no mood to bandy words with you this morning. Mr. Paternoster, I thank you for your hospitality and your understanding. Excuse me."

Henry pushed his chair back and stood. He nodded at the two and then left the dining room in a hurry. Rosalind and Paternoster watched him go, then shared a smile. His eyes watched her full lips as she sipped her wine, lips left stained purple by it.

"You know that I am right," Rosalind said.

"Of course, my dear," Paternoster chuckled. "But Henry has uncovered much useful information during his efforts to tame the mind. Without the hope he carries of taming his own nature, he would not be half so driven. So it is best to leave him to his ambitions."

"And what of this Daniel?" Rosalind asked. "Will he really be safe with Henry and all his untameable passions?"

"Are you worried about the boy?"

"It would be a shame for him to die before I get a chance to play with him," Rosalind said. "Such a timid little mouse."

"Only on the surface," Paternoster said. "Do not let his charade fool you, there are dark depths in that young man's soul."

"Is that why you brought him into the group?"

Paternoster nodded.

"Then why does he act in such a manner?" Rosalind wondered. "So very vulnerable. So very afraid."

"He believes his own charade, that is why it is so convincing," Paternoster explained. "Some people simply enjoy being the victim. Besides, so long as he is blaming everyone else for his sins, he need not fully blame himself."

Rosalind laughed.

"The boy is delightful," she said, clapping her hands. "I do hope Henry tires of him soon. I should love to get to know him better."

"I do not think Henry will tire of him," Paternoster said. "I warn you, my dear, it is unwise to separate entwined snakes. You may see a guileless boy, but believe me, Henry and Daniel are perfectly compatible beasts."

Rosalind was surprised at the warning. Paternoster rarely intervened in the relationships between members of the group, preferring to watch their antics apathetically. She clucked her tongue in annoyance. She would have to take Paternoster's warning seriously, since he had been generous enough to caution her. She huffed a sigh and returned to the worshipful but boring Jameson Beechworth.

* * *

Daniel woke grudgingly. Before he even knew why, he was reluctant to give up the bliss of sleep. As consciousness encroached upon him so did soreness. As he tried to position himself comfortably, the aches gave way to deep pain. Daniel whimpered as he came to, a few sleepy tears falling down his cheeks.

Eventually Daniel's bladder forced him out of bed. His backside gave him hell, but he managed to get out of bed and stagger to the chamber pot. He was too disgruntled to return to sleep, so he then washed and went to find his clothing. He was surprised to find two trunks in the room, and pleased that one held some of his clothing. He chose the loosest-fitting trousers that he could find and dressed for the day. He did not dare look in the mirror at his injuries, lest he start crying again. He was even more tired of crying than tired of pain.

Daniel left the guestroom and wandered down the hall. He heard voices coming from downstairs and shrank away from the staircase. He could not bear the thought of company as yet. He was still dazed from the events of yesterday and groggy from having expended so much energy hysterically. He headed for the second-floor entrance to the library, thinking to read one of the rare books stored there. He would like to settle down on a sofa with a book about a great explorer. The thought brought a faint smile to his lips.

 _Da … niel …_

Daniel stopped, cocking his head. Had someone called him? He turned and opened a small door next to the library's double doors. There was a spindly spiral staircase leading up to the third floor.

 _Dan … iel …_

Daniel was too befuddled to be afraid. He followed the vague whisper up the iron staircase, going round and round in circles. At the top he opened another small door and was let into the third floor's East Wing hallway.

 _Daniel …_

Daniel could not tell if he was hearing the voice with his ears or his mind. He followed it down the hall, and the call grew stronger as he went. He came to a great set of double doors and blinked at them. The wood was deep burnished red, streaks in the grain almost the color of dried blood. Each door had a lion's head carved into its center, and the doorknobs had suns engraved in their centers. Daniel lingered staring at the impressive doors.

 _Daniel!_

Daniel opened the doors and blinked against the gloom. All the drapes in the room were drawn and it seemed to take a long time for the hallway's light to filter in. Daniel's mental fog was beginning to clear and a sense of foreboding overcame him. Who was calling him? He was certain that he had not heard anything audible, which meant the voice had come into his mind. Only one person had ever called him that way.

Daniel's eyes adjusted and the room came into focus. Daniel gasped. A scream rose in his throat but stayed locked there. He could not breathe. His heart throbbed painfully. Reality split itself into pieces and then shattered. He was in Brennenburg suddenly, staring down a hideous demon. The demon wore skin like an ill-fitting suit and its mouth was a gaping, uneven hole between the flaps of flesh.

Daniel staggered backwards and fell directly on his buttocks. The shock of pain brought him back to his senses. He loosed the scream and fell back on the floor, clutching his head in his hands.

 _Hush, Daniel, hush,_ a voice whispered in Daniel's mind. _Don't you see? It's dead! No, no, stop that screaming, Daniel, we have little time. Hush you fool!_

Daniel recognized the voice: it belonged to Alexander von Brennenburg. He knew Alexander was not dead, only trapped in a Memory Capsule, but hearing him now only added to his horror. Terror rippled through Daniel like a wraith and he writhed in its grasp as if held tight by a snake. All the memories of Brennenburg assaulted him afresh.

 _Damn you, Daniel, if you won't stop screaming, at least HEAR ME._

Alexander's command cut Daniel's screams off briefly. He banged his head against the floor, trying to clear it of Alexander's voice. He heard voices coming from downstairs but all he could do was lie gibbering.

 _Hear me,_ Alexander said more gently. _The monster is dead, it is merely a preserved specimen from Brennenburg. There is nothing here that can hurt you. I won't let anything hurt you anymore, boy._

"You … hurt … me," Daniel huffed.

 _I forgave you and I let you live, Daniel. I do not hate you. You must know this by now. You saw my mind as I saw yours when we shared your body._

Daniel shut his eyes tightly.

 _I am sealed away in any case. I am locked away in the dark. I can only speak to you. I can do no more than that. I cannot hurt you, and I would not anyway. I have misused and unappreciated you, Daniel. I can see that now._

Daniel opened one eye. He glanced into the room and saw that the monster was indeed motionless. He saw a white glow deep in the room. It must be the Memory Capsule from which Alexander was speaking. He heard footsteps thumping up the grand staircase.

 _Forgive me, Daniel. I regret having hurt you. I find myself missing your company, in fact. In all my years in this world, you are one of the very few that I have grown fond of. I have taken my friends for granted in this world. I have used both you and Agrippa shamelessly. In my time trapped here in this darkness, I have begun to reflect upon my ways. I have been too cruel, too callous. In trying to find my way back to my love, I have sacrificed all the qualities that brought me that love so long ago. They are coming now, but I only wanted to say that I am sorry, Daniel. I am sorry for everything._

"Alex … ander … "

"Daniel!"

Daniel rolled over and looked up wearily. Henry rushed to kneel beside him. He helped Daniel sit up slowly and supported him. Paternoster was behind him. He stood nearby calmly, hands clasped behind his back.

"Why are you roaming the halls alone, Daniel?" Henry asked. "What happened?"

Daniel pointed a shaky finger into the room. He buried his face in Henry's shirt. Henry stroked his hair tenderly as he stared into the room. He frowned in confusion.

"It must be the specimen on display," Paternoster said. "We recovered that Gatherer from Brennenburg."

Henry recalled Daniel telling him of the monsters Alexander had sent after him in the castle. He could imagine Daniel's terror at being confronted by one in the hideous flesh. He scowled up at Paternoster.

"Why did you leave this room unlocked?" he asked. "You should have known this might happen!"

"You know that my most trusted have keys to this room," Paternoster said. "One of them may have been studying things in there and simply forgot to lock the doors. I am very open with my home, as you well know."

Henry blew out a sigh and nodded. Paternoster was right, the room often got left unlocked. Even if a mundane wandered in, Paternoster merely explained the contents of the room off as curios. He did not want to ruin the peace he had just made with Paternoster. _I have to stop letting my love for Daniel rouse my temper irrationally,_ Henry thought. _It was my fault, I shouldn't have left Daniel alone for so long. He must be hurting today. I should have been there for him._

"There, there, the thing is dead, Daniel," Henry comforted him. "It's dead. Come, let's go back to the guestroom. You should lie down. Have you eaten?"

Daniel shook his head. Henry lifted him to his feet and steadied him. He kept an arm around Daniel to hold him up. Daniel looked ready to faint and he was as white as a sheet. He turned sharply to the room and cocked his head.

"What is it?" Henry asked. "Did something else happen? Was it that Alexander monster? Did he speak to you again?"

 _He would come in here and smash this vessel,_ Alexander told Daniel. _And then that would be an end to me._

"No," Daniel said distantly. He shook his head. "No. No, I was only frightened by that _thing_ in there. It reminded me of Brennenburg. I am sorry. I should not have made such a fuss. I am not myself this morning."

"Of course, darling," Henry said. "Come along now. All is well now. I'm here."

Henry led Daniel downstairs via the main staircase. Daniel was so weak that Henry had to take most of his weight upon himself. In the guestroom, Daniel removed his shoes and climbed back into bed. His muscles were screaming at him and his mind was reeling.

Henry let Daniel doze until a maid brought a tray of food up. Henry roused Daniel and encouraged him to eat some breakfast. Daniel's appetite overtook his vexation and he was soon devouring the food. Henry sat on the bed beside him, watching with a mixture of pity and love.

Daniel recovered his senses as he ate. His brow furrowed as he began to digest the strange events of the morning. He realized now that he had been too exhausted and hungry to have fully woken until now. That weakened state had led him straight to Alexander, who must have been calling out to him from the Memory Capsule. He recalled that Paternoster had said that Alexander still occasionally spoke about him. Of course, Alexander would be able to communicate from the Memory Capsule clearly: all the remnants of his being were contained within that vessel. He apparently had some power, as well, if he was able to manipulate Daniel. Yet he had only apologized to Daniel. He could have done much to Daniel while Daniel was helpless with terror, but he had only apologized. Did he mean it this time? Even if he did, would it make any difference?

 _No,_ Daniel thought. _No, every time Alexander comes into my life, I end up hurt. I can never speak to him again. I can never go near that room. However he feels about me, it doesn't matter. I cannot forgive him and I will never allow him into my life again. Brennenburg shall never cast another shadow upon my life._

"May I have my laudanum?"

"No."

Daniel looked at Henry in surprise.

"No more opium, not even laudanum," Henry said. "I'm sorry, Daniel, but I believe it's only furthered your nervous imagination. I know it will not be easy, but you must give it up. I shall bring you some brandy."

"But—"

Henry gave Daniel a look and Daniel flinched. Though Henry merely looked tired and sad, Daniel was afraid of angering him. He buried his face in his arms and heaved a beleaguered sigh.

"Yes, Henry."

"And I shall be disposing of your 'secret' supply, as well."

Daniel raised his head enough to look at Henry with one round eye.

"You knew of it?"

"Of course I did, dear Daniel." Henry kissed his forehead. "I had thought that was your only secret. I suppose I underestimated you."

"Please don't scold me any more."

"I'm not, you've had enough punishment for all your sins," Henry said. "Let this be a new start for us. You are now a part of your precious _Sol Invictus Mithras_ , and I will not stifle your career. Let it all be done, Daniel. Let us move forward."

"Yes, I should like that." Daniel sniffled and was surprised to wipe away a tear. He smiled nonetheless. "I should like that very much."

Henry kissed him deeply. Daniel felt as raw inside as he did outside. He reached his arms out and put them around Henry's neck. Henry climbed fully onto the bed and cuddled the young man in his massive arms. Before long, Daniel was asleep again.

* * *

Daniel was whisked away into a land of blue light reflected off strange glass angles. He was weightless in this land and he drifted beneath strange stars. This place had frightened him at times, but now it was a comfort. He felt as a snowflake drifting through the alien world.

 _Daniel._

Daniel was aware of a strange creature before him. The motion stopped. He gazed up at the being curiously. He could not decide whether it was hideous or majestic.

 _I should fear you,_ Daniel thought. _Why do I not fear you?_

 _You are beyond fear, my poor broken boy,_ Alexander replied. _Once these wounds are calloused, you will be the stronger for them._

 _I don't feel like I will ever be strong._

 _You will be, Daniel,_ Alexander assured him. _You are already set on the path to strength. You have accepted the fact that you are no longer a part of the mundane world, and you are ready to face what you humans consider the arcane. That is the first step._

 _How can I do this?_ Daniel wondered. _How can I throw myself back into such strange horrors? Am I simply a moth drawn to flame?_

 _Yes, but you are not an insect, you are a man, Daniel,_ Alexander replied. _You are not a moth and you need not be burned by the flames. Be strong, friend._

 _Am I? Your friend, I mean._

 _Yes. I suppose you are, despite everything,_ Alexander thought back. _You have strength, far more than I ever imagined. If I had only treated you more equally … But the past is the past. It is done now. To take a page from your Henry, let us begin afresh._

 _I'm not sure I can …_

 _Try, please,_ Alexander said. _Even if we never speak again, so be it. Only know that you were my friend and I am sorry for what I did to you._

 _Thank you, Alexander. I … Well, I hope you mean it. It would mean much to me if you did._

 _I do,_ Alexander's telepathic response felt genuine. _You will not remember this when you awake, but I hope you feel it in your heart._

 _Is that all you wished to say? You don't want anything from me?_

 _No. I should like to enjoy your company again, but I shall not ask it of you,_ Alexander thought. _You know where to find me. I have no power outside these walls. Even reaching out to you from a floor above took much out of me. I will not speak to you unless you come to me. I hope that you do come to me._

 _I can't. I just can't._

 _Well. Take care of yourself, little friend. Farewell._

 _Goodbye … Alexander._


	6. Chapter 6

**Epilogue**

April 1, 1840

For a time following Daniel's harsh punishment, he was reserved and timid. Henry was beginning to think he would remain that way but as the bruises faded, Daniel's personality returned. He would always cringe a little more when Henry was stern with him, but at least his spirit was not totally destroyed. Henry was relieved and in turn suppressed his temper as best he could. They grew close again, then closer than ever.

Daniel resumed his work at the museum, but filled his spare hours reading books borrowed from Paternoster's occult library. He read the books Paternoster had mentioned, even if some of the fantastic imagery in the Necronomicon gave him nightmares. Terrible as the books were, Daniel could not be frightened by mere words on paper when he had faced such horrors in reality. The nightmares were worth the price of gaining forbidden knowledge, Daniel decided. He delved further and further into the esoteric, much to Paternoster's approval. Henry tolerated the studies and soothed the young man through the worst of his night terrors.

Today Daniel was in a good mood as he worked in the British Museum. He was only cataloging another insect collection (how many people were so fascinated by the grotesque things?) but he was lost in thought. He had read a particularly fascinating theory in De Vermis Mysteriis and kept pondering its implications. He whistled a tune from a concert he and Henry had attended the other night as he worked.

"DANIEL!"

Daniel cried out and nearly dropped the glass case of beetles. He was grabbed by the shoulder and turned around forcefully. He expected Henry or even Alexander, but it was only Charles Ledford. Daniel was about to greet him but his smile fell. The look of intensity in Charles' hazel eyes and the harshness of his grip made Daniel wince away from him.

"Charles, what on earth?"

"Daniel, you must come with me," Charles said. "I know you've braved danger before, and you are a lucky man. Come with me right away."

"I'm not—I haven't—Why? Go with you where?"

"Please, there's no time, the thing is devilish fast!" Charles said, tugging Daniel's arm. "Please, Daniel, I need your help. You are the only one that has ever suspected just how strange and powerful those artifacts are. I can trust no other. Please come with me."

"W-well—All right."

The words had no sooner left Daniel's mouth than Charles was pushing him out of the stuffy little office. They garnered a couple of glances but no more. The men working in the museum were used to the zeal of academics and adventurers. Daniel wished someone would stop them, he had an ominous feeling about all this.

As Daniel struggled to keep up with Charles, he looked up to scrutinize the man. Charles had lost a few pounds, making his lean face fiercer than ever. His blond hair was never neat anymore, always a few inches too long and shaggy. He had changed and Daniel recognized the changes: the marks of touching the strange unknown. Daniel wondered if he should be afraid of him. Just as the thought touched his mind, Charles pulled out a small pistol. Daniel's heart stopped and he skidded to a halt.

"Charles, what—"

Charles turned the gun so the handle faced Daniel and handed it to him. Then he drew his own revolver. Daniel gaped at the guns and then quickly looked around. What would anyone think if they saw them brandishing guns in the halls of the great museum? Daniel had no time to protest before Charles was off again. Daniel jogged to catch up.

"At first I thought that I was going mad," Charles said. "I thought the dreams and those damned hieroglyphs were working upon my imagination. Even when poor Goodfell died and Arlington was nearly crushed to death beneath those stones, I forced myself to look away from the truth. But I cannot any longer! No, I have seen it! I have seen the beast with my own eyes!"

"What beast? Charles, what are you talking about?"

"It must have come over with the artifacts, sneaking into a crate somehow," Charles said. "You know, I … I wonder if those three sailors that died during the voyage were actually murdered by that fiend? It is not one of the things in the bas reliefs, but it is some sort of lower form of them. It is some degraded descendant of those monsters, it must be."

"But you said that those reptiles were only gods worshiped by some old human tribe," Daniel protested. "You said that they did not exist outside of mythology."

"Well, I was wrong," Charles said ruefully. "I was horribly, _horribly_ wrong, and people have died because of it."

Daniel said nothing. They approached the room where the artifacts were kept and the men stopped in their tracks. Even Charles looked hesitant to go inside. The museum was eerily deserted. It was so quiet that they could hear the patter of rain upon the windows of the foyer.

"You do believe me, don't you, Daniel?" Charles asked pleadingly. "I am sorry I called you superstitious, so very sorry. Now I understand. You must have seen something bizarre in Africa. You did, didn't you?"

"Yes," Daniel admitted. "I have seen many strange things, Charles. Things you couldn't imagine—Well, perhaps now you could. I believe you."

"And you will help me?"

Daniel drew a deep breath and shut his eyes. A moth to the flame. From somewhere he could not recall, Daniel recalled a voice telling him, _You are not a moth and you need not be burned by the flames._ The voice calmed him and he looked resolutely up at Charles.

"Yes. I will help you, Charles."

"Thank you, my friend. Thank you."

Daniel smiled, and then everything went dark. Charles paled and looked all around. He drew his revolver and Daniel did the same with his borrowed pistol. The soft spring rain burst into a violent downpour. Daniel's mouth went dry and he swallowed hard. Charles drew a very deep breath and his lips tightened into a thin line. His fear sharpened his ferocity and he looked more like the majestic felines of Africa than ever.

Charles opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a soft sound from inside the room of artifacts. Charles rushed in and Daniel followed him. He faltered upon being greeted by darkness. The light from the windows was faint due to the gloomy day outside.

"Charles, we should get a light," Daniel whispered. "It's too dark."

"Shh!"

Charles was too intent on his hunt to turn back. Daniel rushed towards him. If he lost Charles in the dark he might panic and flee. He hated to act so childish but he could not help reaching out and grasping the end of Charles' jacket. Charles was too focused on his task to take notice.

They moved slowly through the room, the sound of scurrying occasionally meeting their ears. The sounds came from different places randomly, as if the thing was taunting them. Daniel did not know whether he wanted to lay eyes upon it to end the suspense or never see the beast. The reptilian things and their bizarre cuneiform writings leered at the two men from their stone prisons. With the knowledge of the Necronomicon and other such texts, Daniel knew more than he wanted to about that civilization. Yes, it had been a civilization, one predating mankind. The cuneiform symbols were more familiar than ever to Daniel and he had to look away before their messages imprinted themselves on his brain.

The scurrying sounded very close and Charles ran towards it. His jacket slipped out of Daniel's hand and Daniel rushed to keep near him. There was a muffled thud and Daniel froze.

"Charles?" he whispered. Upon getting no answer his voice raised several octaves. " _Charles_?"

"It is coming from beneath us," Charles murmured. He stomped his foot on the wooden floor. "Yes. Yes, of course!"

Daniel was too frightened of losing the man again to stop himself from reaching out to him. He grabbed Charles' arm and was dragged along. They went through a door set in the far back wall that Daniel recognized as an entrance to the basement storage area. Charles moved to go down but Daniel pulled him back with all his strength.

"It's too dark!" he exclaimed. "Charles, be reasonable, there is no light down there. We must fetch a lantern."

"So fetch one!" Charles snapped.

Daniel was loathe to leave him alone, but he obeyed. He sprinted from the room, hands shaking badly. He found a lantern all too soon in a nearby office. He lit it with one of his own matches and then dashed back towards the room with the Ledford artifacts. He paused in the hallway and glanced at the foyer. He could run and leave Charles to his mad hunt. He _should_ run and save himself. Henry would drag him away kicking and screaming if he were there.

 _No,_ Daniel thought forcefully. _No, I cannot abandon my friend. I was able to summon up the courage to save myself in Brennenburg, unworthy as I was of saving. I must do the same now to save the life of a good man. I cannot keep running from the darkness._

Daniel braced himself and ran back to Charles. That is, he rushed back to where he had last seen Charles. He was horrified to find the man gone. Had he actually gone down to the basement alone in the dark?

Daniel opened his mouth to call but decided against it. If Charles were alive, they would run into each other at some point. If he were dead, there was nothing more to be done. Whatever was down there, Daniel did not want to attract its attention. Daniel steadied his breathing so he would not pant noisily and started down the stairs.

For once, the memory of Brennenburg was a help. Daniel walked with the stealth he had learned in the blasted castle, hardly making a sound. The reptilian smell was nauseatingly strong down here. More of the hateful artifacts were stored in the depths of the basement. _How many of the damn things did Charles bring back?_ Daniel wondered. _I hope Paternoster does get his hands on them and locks them up where people who know better can control them._

The basement storage area was one large expanse divided by stone partitions. Daniel made his way through the open space, hiding behind crates or tarp-covered objects every time he heard the scurrying. He came to a section that held Egyptian artifacts and hid behind a sarcophagus. The humanoid figure beneath the tarp looked like a covered corpse, and Daniel kept imagining the lid creaking open and a bandage-wrapped terror climbing out. He almost ran at that thought but willed himself forward.

A louder noise drew Daniel into a section where statues covered by tarps stood like ghostly sentinels. The footsteps he heard this time came from normal shoes and he thought he heard an English voice muttering.

"Charles?" he ventured.

The sound of a gunshot nearly made Daniel drop both the gun and the lantern. He gasped and dodged back around the stone partition. He steadied his grip on the pistol, gritting his teeth.

The scurrying footsteps went right by him. Daniel bit his tongue and drew blood in the effort not to cry out. He dashed back around the partition and ran into Charles. He felt cold steel pressed against his neck.

"It's me!" he hissed. "It's me, Daniel."

The gun left his neck. Daniel lifted the lantern and Charles blinked down at him. Then there was another scurrying sound and he pushed Daniel aside. He ran into the next section and trained his revolver on the darkness. Daniel scrambled after him to provide light. It was difficult to tell if any of the shadows were cast by the monster.

Charles snatched the lantern from Daniel's hand and set it down atop a crate. Daniel's hand twitched in annoyance and fear. Then Charles left him as well, dashing into the room.

Daniel remained frozen by the light. It made the shadows even darker and he could no longer see Charles. He shifted on his feet uncertainly. He should not be here. He had escaped mortal terror once, he should not be here chasing it again.

There was a shout and several gunshots. Then a meaty thump and a strangled sound. The revolver went off again.

"Dan—aaagghhh!"

Daniel moved hesitantly forward. Then the scurrying went past him and he glimpsed a vile green thing moving past him. He whirled around and a malicious hiss sounded in his ear. He yelped and spun around again, aiming the gun wildly. Something swished past his leg and then pain blossomed in his calf. Daniel yelled in pain and sank to one knee. He could feel the warm spread of blood on his pants leg. He heard it coming closer and looked up.

Daniel's presence had drawn it into the light and he almost wished it hadn't. The thing moved like an ape although shaped like a reptile, loping on hind legs occasionally supported by its arms. It had a long thick tail like an alligator that whipped around the stone floor. It opened its elongated scaly snout to bare far too many sharp teeth. Daniel met its gaze and was stunned to see malicious intent there— _sentient_ intent. The thing was grinning down at him in triumph!

Daniel reacted with the speed of a madman but the precision of a survivor. Now that the thing had come into the light he had a clear shot. This was not Brennenburg. He was not unarmed and mentally confused. He knew better now. He knew better and he could do better. He lifted the gun and aimed it at the reptile's head. The first shot went wild and the thing lunged at him. Time seemed to slow down and Daniel lowered his aim. The next shot hit the thing's skull point blank, yet it kept coming. Teeth overtook Daniel's arm, gun and all. As pain tore through Daniel's arm he quickly squeezed off as many shots as he could.

Daniel was still screaming and pulling the trigger when he realized the gun was empty. The pain in his arm had not worsened and the reptile was not moving. His nose and mouth were filled with the odor of it and its cold dead weight was upon him. Daniel carefully disengaged his arm from inside the reptile's maw and shoved the beast off himself. As he struggled to sit up, Charles came to his side. He offered Daniel a hand and pulled him to his feet. Charles was bleeding from a cut on his forehead and he had scratches and cuts along his body beneath torn clothing. Daniel inspected his own arm and was relieved that the gashes were only superficial. When they were done assessing their injuries, the two men turned and stared down at the reptile.

"Damn this thing," Charles growled, kicking it. "Who is even going to believe this? Surely they will think it is a hoax. I'm not certain anyone _should_ know something so atrocious exists in the modern world."

"It was intelligent," Daniel said. "Savage but intelligent. It took pleasure in attacking me, I could see that in its eyes. No, I don't think people should know of this."

"What should we do?" Charles asked. "Burn it?"

"No!" Daniel lifted his head with a small smile. "No, I know someone that might appreciate a specimen such as this. Here, Charles, let's wrap it in one of these tarps. We can transport it out of the museum and somewhere … safe."

"Wherever could that be?" Charles eyed the reptile. "Are we even certain it's dead?"

Daniel looked warily at the reptile. He nudged it with one shoe and the thing did not move. He shrugged. Having killed it himself, he was pleased to notice that his fear had flown. He felt rather elated.

"It must be," he said. "Let's get it out of here before someone comes down. It's a miracle no one has come after all those gunshots. Let's hurry!"

Charles gave him an impressed expression. Daniel felt downright joyful as they covered the hideous dead thing and heaved it through the basement. They left the basement through a back exit that led onto the street to avoid any attention the gunshots might have brought. They managed to hail a carriage without any trouble, as the drivers were used to the antics of the museum's staff. The two men settled down in the carriage as they were driven through the rainy London streets.

"You conducted yourself admirably, Daniel," Charles said. "I would have died if you had not been there. I was right to call upon you for help and I am truly grateful."

"I never could have faced such a thing alone," Daniel said. "You're so very brave, Charles."

"You flatter me and I will not hear it," Charles said. "You are the man of the hour, Daniel. Thank you. Thank you so very, very much."

Daniel blushed and nodded. Charles took a flask from his inner jacket pocket and handed it to Daniel. Daniel drank deeply and then Charles followed his lead. They passed the flask back and forth between them, exchanging saliva as if kissing. Daniel was more drunk on adrenaline than on alcohol. He felt that he could have shot a dozen more of the reptiles. He felt strong and brave and important. Even Charles Ledford admired him now!

The two men drank and talked and laughed away the last of their nerves. The city was left behind in its sooty shadow. The rain smelled cleaner outside the city, and the scenery of passing trees lulled the men into quiet. At last the carriage came to a stop.

"Why, this is Winslow Paternoster's home!" Charles exclaimed. "Ah, I see, he does collect many curios and rare specimens. I suppose he won't be shocked. Much of his art shocks more than this reptile."

They unloaded their grisly burden and knocked upon the doors. Paternoster's staff knew members of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ on sight, so Daniel was allowed in immediately. Winslow Octavio Paternoster himself met them in the foyer and guided them upstairs. Daniel was wary of going to the third floor, but he heard nothing from Alexander. They did not go to the room of 'curios', but a laboratory on the third floor's West Wing. The reptile was lifted onto a steel table and uncovered. Paternoster leaned over it to study it with his keen gray gaze. He touched the scales with the tips of his long fingers and murmured something in another language.

"Marvelous," Paternoster said. "What a fascinating remnant. It is rather disappointing to think such a civilization has existed only to degenerate to this. Mr. Ledford, how much do you know of this matter?"

"I know it's real," Charles said wonderingly. "It is all fantastically real. I tried so very hard to deny it, but I can no longer do so. Those bas reliefs depicted an actual civilization, one of intelligent reptilians that predates men. My God! To think such things once ruled this world. Such an ugly world this was before God granted it to mankind."

Daniel and Paternoster shared a look. They knew there was no God such as the Bible spoke of, most of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_ did. Paternoster shut his eyes for a moment, deep in thought.

"As odious as the truth is, this is knowledge that must be gathered," Paternoster said. He opened his hollow eyes and smiled placidly at Charles. "The world may not need know about it, but we must preserve their peace of mind. If there are any more of these things and their artifacts, do you not believe they should be gathered up at once?"

"Yes, I agree," Charles said. "They should be gathered and destroyed—locked away at the very least. I always thought that your collections were mere curios, but they are more than that, aren't they?"

"It is easiest to hide the truth in plain sight," Paternoster said. "Making a mockery of it and denouncing it as fraud is the best way of assuring the public that such things do not exist at all. I have devoted my life to protecting the good plain folk of this country from such horrors as I know lurk in this world."

"You truly are a benevolent man, Mr. Paternoster," Charles said. "I shall endeavor to do all in my power to aid your cause now that I know the truth of it."

"You are not frightened off?"

"Never."

"Good man."

Daniel could tell that Paternoster had decided not to induct Charles into the _Sol Invictus Mithras._ Charles was a good man, perhaps too good. Even this event had not opened his mind enough for him to accept the truths of the universe were not so black and white as his religion made them out to be. He would be a useful tool for the group but no more. Daniel smirked smugly to himself. He had outdone Charles Ledford in many ways. There was no longer any reason for the jealousy that had driven him to betray Henry. _It_ was _worth it,_ Daniel thought. _I am sorry for hurting Henry and that whipping was awful, but it was all worth it._

"Yes, I think that is just the thing," Charles was saying now. "I've been restless to get back out there and now we have a goal in mind. If you are willing to provide funds, Mr. Paternoster, then I will begin charting an expedition immediately upon returning to London."

"I will provide all that is necessary," Paternoster said. "Now that you have uncovered the truth of these myths of the reptilian civilization, I have information that can help you find a suitable location to explore. And I am sure Daniel will be eager to join your efforts, won't you, Daniel?"

"What? Me?"

"Yes, of course!" Charles cried, slapping Daniel's shoulder. "You are a lucky charm, my friend. I would not dream of leaving you out of it!"

Daniel grinned. He thought of Henry and his not-yet-vanquished fears. He thought of a million reasons why this was a bad idea. Yet he extended his hand and Charles shook it. Charles gripped Daniel's hand in both of his after the handshake.

"This will be the sort of adventure you've been after, lad," Charles said. "You'll see!"

"I have no doubt!"

They talked a while longer over the dead reptile's body. Charles and Daniel were like two boys setting out for a forbidden land, despite the difference in their ages. Paternoster watched with a satisfied smile.

They left the laboratory, Paternoster locking it behind them. They were heading for the staircase when Daniel hesitated. He bid the men go on and was left on the third floor alone. He could not say why, but he headed for the East Wing. He found the doors with the lion heads unlocked and went inside. He heard the rain beating upon the windowpanes and nothing more. He flinched around the taxidermy specimen of the Gatherer of Brennenburg, trying not to look at it. He wished that he had asked Charles to reload the pistol he still carried. He wondered if Charles would let him keep it. It was a great comfort to have a gun.

Daniel came to the shelf where Alexander's Memory Capsule was stored. There were other similar capsules and Daniel wondered who or what they contained. The capsule was dark and silent.

"Alexander?"

Silence.

"Alexander, are you still there?" Daniel inquired. "I remembered the dream. I remembered you telling me that I need not be burned by the flames. I remember it all, Alexander."

 _Daniel? Is that really you?_

"Were you, er, sleeping? Do you need sleep? In there?"

 _I let my consciousness drift. It is of no consequence. I am happy to see you, Daniel. Have you decided to forgive me after all?_

"I think that I can now," Daniel said. "After all, I did get revenge for it and hurt you as much. Besides that, I know that my nature drove me to do those things as much as you did. We are both guilty and selfish. We were both wrong in Brennenburg."

 _Yes. Yes, I can admit as much._

"All that is behind me," Daniel said. "For the first time, I feel that I can truly move on. My life is strange and it can still be painful, but it is my own again. I always wanted more than the usual. I always sought out adventure, heedless of the price to be paid for it."

 _You remind me a bit of myself in that way. I sought knowledge and power in my own world, and I paid dearly for it in this exile._

"Yes, we are alike," Daniel confessed. "That is why, for better or worse, you have become a part of me. You forged me in Brennenburg. I will never deny that you were cruel or that I hated you for it. I cannot tell you that I would not go back and change it all if I could. But it is a part of me, as are you. We have both hurt each other and sinned and been hurt by others. You have forgiven me, and now I forgive you."

 _It is well, Daniel. I am glad. I see that you have finally found your place in life, as well. An expedition, hm?_

"It really is impolite to read my mind that way."

 _I cannot help it. Humans minds are so … Well, let us just say that you are very transparent to me._

"Well, yes, I am going into the world again," Daniel said. "I don't know what I'll tell Henry, but he did promise he would not interfere with my career. I will miss him so very much, though. Was I too rash in accepting? Everything has happened so fast today."

 _Perhaps there is a solution._

"Is there?"

 _Let Henry accompany you._

"Henry? But he has clients here and-and his work!"

 _Men go on holiday. As for Henry's work, I daresay it would be easier for him to conduct his experiments outside his homeland. You need not be parted for so long. Unless you wish to be separated? He can be overbearing._

"No, no! I don't want to be without Henry even for a moment," Daniel said quickly. "I will propose the idea of his accompanying the expedition. I would love to travel with him by my side."

 _Would you?_

"Of course I would," Daniel said. "Charles is very dashing and a friend, but he is not a lover. Nor is he a part of the _Sol Invictus Mithras_. He is too earnest and good for my tastes. Besides, I doubt he is partial to men. Not that I would ever forsake Henry, of course."

 _Well I am sure it will all work out, then._

"What of you, Alexander?" Daniel asked. "Shall you simply be locked away in that Memory Capsule forever?"

 _Perhaps, perhaps not. I do not think the man you know as 'Paternoster' intends to set me free anytime soon. But do not worry about me, Daniel. I am a patient man._

"Is it very horrible, shut away in the dark?"

 _My mind wanders and I dream. I am at peace. It gives me time to reflect and reconsider certain things. When the time comes, I may walk this Earth of yours again. For now, do not worry on my behalf._

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Daniel went to the window and looked out at the strengthening storm. It was peaceful outside the city. Daniel wondered if Henry would ever consider moving into a house like this someday.

 _You should go before it gets later and colder, Daniel. I will be here. If you like, we will talk again._

"Yes. Yes, I think we will," Daniel said. "I hate to keep a secret from Henry, but I do miss talking to you. Strange, isn't it?"

 _There are stranger things._

"There certainly are. Well, I should go," Daniel said. "Goodbye for now, Alexander."

 _Goodnight, Daniel._

* * *

Daniel returned home just in time for dinner to be served. He giddily recounted his encounter with the reptilian being in the museum to Henry as they ate. Henry was horrified to hear how close his beloved had come to death, but he held his tongue. He had promised himself that he would let Daniel enjoy some independence, even if it meant he had to accept the youth would be facing danger alone. He swallowed his worry and let himself enjoy Daniel's exuberant pride.

Daniel grew quiet over dessert. His nervousness set Henry on edge in turn. He knew the way Daniel behaved when he had done something bad. After the whipping at Paternoster's mansion, Daniel had become wary of confessions. His hand twitched and he fidgeted and could not meet Henry's eyes.

"What is it, Daniel?" Henry sighed at last. "Sit still and say what you have to say. I can't bear your nerves anymore."

"You did say that you would not interfere with my career. You promised."

"I did."

"You see, Mr. Paternoster and Charles decided it would be prudent to plan another expedition to the area where the reptilians lived," Daniel said. "Mr. Paternoster will provide funding, of course. Charles asked me to … to accompany him. He thinks I'm a lucky charm, of all things. He was very impressed with me today."

"You accepted."

Henry had not needed to make it a question but Daniel nodded. Then he bowed his head, shoulders hunched. Despite Henry's promise, Henry could tell the boy expected punishment for his actions. Henry reached across the table and Daniel actually flinched. Exasperated, Henry took Daniel's hand into his own.

"Daniel, I meant what I said," Henry reassured him. "You need your independence and your ambition, I've accepted that. It isn't easy, but I have. I will miss you and worry about you, but if you must go, you will go with my … permission."

Henry could not lie enough to say 'blessing'. Daniel beamed at him and leaned over the table to kiss him. They finished dessert in peace and retired to the parlor. Henry lit a cigar while Daniel sat by the fire, gazing into it. The room was quiet save for the sound of the rain and a ticking grandfather clock.

"Henry?"

"Yes?"

Daniel came over and sat on Henry's lap. Henry set down his paper and put an arm around Daniel's waist. They shared a long, deep kiss.

"You do not have to let me go alone," Daniel said. "I was thinking about it, and you could do with a holiday. Come with us."

"With you? On the expedition?"

"Why not?" Daniel asked. "You could perform your experiments overseas, couldn't you? The _Sol Invictus Mithras_ has branches all over the world. You have been researching more than seeing clients these days, haven't you?"

"That is true," Henry mused. "Go with you … Hm. It may not be such a mad idea. You should have someone there to look after you and keep you out of trouble, after all."

"Yes, I should," Daniel said with playful gravity. "I may behave badly. If you are not there, who would punish me for it?"

Henry laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Who indeed?" Henry tipped Daniel's face up by the chin. "Would you really want me there to guide you? Punish you? Hm?"

"I may _need_ you there." Daniel nuzzled his face in Henry's neck. "To protect me from myself. To spank me if I'm bad."

Henry kissed him hard. They fell from the chair to the floor, Daniel beneath Henry. Henry peeled away the youth's clothes to explore his body with his mouth. Daniel groaned softly in pleasure. When he was turned onto his stomach, Henry gave his bottom a few teasing swats. He was amazed Daniel still found pleasure in pain after the whipping. The boy was a glutton for punishment.

The evening turned to night and the downpour softened. The two men ended up lying before the fire on the carpet. Henry was half-dressed but in his arms Daniel was naked. His pale skin was flushed and glowed in the firelight. His lank brown hair had come loose from its ribbon and fell gently around his handsome face. Henry traced the few thin streaks of white in it, then the old scars on his back. At least the worst of his trials were in the past. He could grow now. Henry had glimpsed the man Daniel could be over dinner, and he loved him. He promised himself again that he would not stand in the way of Daniel finding his place in the world. He had been foolish to do so in the first place.

"I will go with you," Henry said. "I do not mean to belittle you, Daniel, but this will be the first time you go exploring since Africa. Should anything happen to you while I'm not there, I would never forgive myself."

"I don't feel belittled at all," Daniel said. "It is what I want. I want you there by my side, always and in all things. I know it's greedy, but I can't help it. I love you and I need you."

"You need me less than we both realized, if you can deal with a monster as easily as you did today."

"Oh don't think that way, Henry," Daniel said. "If I didn't have your strength to come home to every night, I would go mad from nightmares. I would probably be mad or dead from Paternoster's plans had you not saved me. I need you, Henry. I do."

"I'm glad."

"I will always love and need you, Henry," Daniel said. "Never leave my side. Please."

"I would rather die." Henry kissed Daniel and embraced him tightly. "I mean that. I would rather die than lose you."

"You never will," Daniel said. "I promise. Ah, if I could marry you, Henry, I would!"

"Would you really?"

"Yes," Daniel said earnestly. "Henry, I would."

"Then 'til death do us part, Daniel."

"Yes. 'Til death do us part."

The playfulness turned solemn. Henry took Daniel's hand into his own and kissed it. Daniel laughed, a little nervous.

"I shall buy you a ring, my Daniel," Henry said. "You can wear it on your other hand or another finger so as to keep people from prying. But I shall buy you a ring to remember these vows by."

"Then you must have one, too."

"Yes." Henry laughed merrily. "No one will ever know, but we will be married in our own eyes. Dear Daniel."

"In sickness and in health," Daniel said through a yawn. "Forever and on."

Henry picked him up and carried him to their bedroom as if he were a bride. Daniel recalled sourly that his sister's wedding would be held soon. His bitterness about it had ebbed by this time. Having found his own love, he could hardly begrudge Hazel hers. He only hoped that she would be happy. He hoped that they would all find happiness, one way or another.

 _Life is such a struggle, we all deserve some happiness,_ Daniel thought dreamily. He was laid down on the bed and Henry was soon beside him. He threw an arm around the man and curled into his side. At the end of every day, he could always come home to this warmth and security. This was the first time that Daniel had ever known what it was to have a loving home. He supposed Henry had become his family, in a way.

 _Everything will be well now,_ Daniel decided. _All will be well. The darkness has passed and the shadows have been burned away by the light. I will be happy and Henry will be happy, and Hazel and her husband too. Perhaps even Alexander can find some sort of peace. All is well. All is good._

Daniel thought he heard the whisper of a chuckle in the back of his mind, but it could not be. He yawned and closed his eyes. He was drawn into dreams of blue light and ancient worlds. They were not nightmares, only dreams. He slept peacefully with a smile on his lips and dreams in his heart.

 **The End**


End file.
